The Romulan Secret
by gilraenstar
Summary: It's finished! It makes me sad though. T.T anyway I am happy to say Im writing a sequel, called Remeberance Check it out in the Star Trek 09 section. Gonna be awesome! Thnx for everyone and the great support! LLAP till next time!- Gilraenstar
1. Chapter 1 Unseen and unheard of

**Chapter One: Unseen and Unheard Of**

**"Scott to Bridge", Scotty's oh-so recognizable voice filtered over the intercom system. **

** "Kirk here, what's the problem Scotty?" There was a second of seemingly endless silence on the Bridge, the entire crew waiting to hear. **

** "Well Captain, It innat good in the least bit. It seems that we're havin some trouble with the Warp engines. I am afraid we won't be able to keep as high as warp 2 for longer than a minute." Once again silence overtook the Bridge crew.**

** None of us remembered any damage done (I certainly didn't) recently, but Scotty could not possibly be wrong.**

** The Captain of the **_**U.S.S Enterprise**_** looked around at all of the higher of officers, then all the new ensigns, most top of their class, including me. "Fine, Mr. Scott. Try to find the problem. Report to me when you have an answer."**

** "Captain, if you will permit me, I may have an answer." The context of that single sentence made us all think of Spock, but it was a girl voice. "Continue Ensign Korff.'' Kirk told her after a second of disbelief. Spock seemed like he was smirking, which was way out character for a Vulcan, even if he was half human. I could tell Spock knew what was coming.**

** "The Star System we are currently in has a high Ion-Electrode count. In saying so that it is not the Warp engines that is the problem, but rather the Dilithium being adversely affected by the high negativity."**

** Every single person on the Bridge looked up and stared. I could almost here them thinking, **_**is she a Vulcan too? Maybe Spock had a Daughter…**_** I was thinking that too, but I knew it wasn't right. She didn't have that same greenish tint all Vulcans had as an affect of their green blood. Besides, since when would Spock have time for a child? Not only that, I recognized her. We were best friends for maybe a year at the academy, but she had graduated before me and we lost contact.**

** Her theory is quite correct, Captain. I —," Spock didn't get to finish his sentence because at that moment the Anti-grav system cut out and we were all thrown upward. Then before we could even hit the top of the bridge deck we were slammed back down again. We lay on the ground, winded and confused. Spock brought us all back to reality with one word.**

** "Fascinating." He said, peering intently at the computer library. **

** Instantly all personnel was scrambling about, trying to get back to their posts before they were yelled at. Oww owww owwwwww…. My wrist was broken, I could feel it. I got up awkwardly, my left hand dangling at my side. Captain Kirk was still down, looking like he was out cold. **

** I took my customary place behind Pavel Chekov, the Navigations Officer who was tasked with training me. He had dark brown hair combed to one side and soft brown eyes. He had a bruise forming on the side of his face. "Vhat a rough ride zhat vas." He said to himself in his thick Russian accent. **

** "Dr McCoy to bridge, we have some minor injuries, possibly major." Uhura from said across the room.**

** "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah I'm coming. What's the worst of it?"**

** Lt. Nyota Uhura answered back quickly. "The Captain is down, as well as several of the ensigns with some broken bones,"**

** "On my way." McCoy said back, now in a hurry.**

** Spock then took the conn. "Bridge to engineering."**

** "Scott here" answered Scotty sounding rather tired and perplexed.**

** "Do you know why the gravity faltered?" Spock asked without any accusation in his so very stiff tone.**

** "Not a clue, Sir." Scotty answered back quickly. I could hear something blaring in the back ground. **

** "All Main engine Blocks down, Sir. We will have to continue on impulse engines." Uhura said from communications**

** "Understood, Lieutenant." Spock told her. Then turning back to the conn said, "Keep me posted, Mr. Scott."**

** "Aye, Sir, But where---? "**

"**The Captain is in need of medical care; therefore I am in command at the moment,"**

** Scotty paused with surprise. "Aye, Sir. Scott out."**

**Spock saw who were watching him and his conversation with Scotty over the conn system. Immediately we looked away and tried to look like we were doing something of major importance. If he noticed he didn't show it.**

** Captain Kirk, Who was still partially unconscious on the ground, was starting to come around. McCoy had just now come, immediately setting about to work on the Captains' injuries.**

** After Kirk was taken off the Bridge, Dr. McCoy then went to treat all the ensigns who managed to get hurt. He came first to Ensign Korff. I just now saw her standing there with her face scrunched up in pain her shoulder slumped, half hidden behind Spock.**

** "I'm fine! I can't just leave!"**

** That's about when Spock cut in saying, "Yes, you can,"**

** "It's about time you said something beneficial to me, Spock." McCoy grumbled. Spock merely raised an eyebrow at McCoy's grumbling.**

** "That is Hardly true, Doctor, seeing as how I have given you yet another patient to treat, it would seem only beneficial to her since she would be the one to get the treatment and you are the one to use your time doing so," McCoy gave an exasperated noise of total annoyance. **

** "What does it matter?" He asked. They started to leave when Chekov spoke up.**

** "She iz hurt too, Doktor," He said completely ratting me out. "You little traitor," I whispered to him through my teeth. He flashed a smile at me.**

_**Stupid Russian, **_**I thought as me and the other ensign were lead away.**

** We walked to the turbo-lift and floated down to the deck that Sickbay was on.**

** "I never really liked any kind of attention."**

**She mumbled beside me. She looked terrible, with a slumped shoulder and a cut on her forehead that continued to bleed some of it dripping into to her eyes, probably tinting her vision red.**

** "It doesn't seem that way after that big speech you gave on the Bridge. You even had Spock surprised." I told her with a small laugh. "I'm Jenny remember me?," I told her happily even though my hand hurt like he-eck. I was trying not to swear, not even in my head, for all it was worth **

** "Becky, remember me? I sure do," She said with a half smile-half grimace.**

**We reached the Sickbay within the minute, where everyone was rushing around to help with the more seriously injured people. **

** In an instant McCoy had rushed over to the Captains side. Becky and I craned our necks to try and see but then we were taken to the next room over and inspected by Nurse Chapel and Ensign Graham. The only reason I knew Johnna Graham was because she had been at the top of the **_**entire**_** med school.**

** The only thing that had given her trouble was that she kind of caved under pressure. She seemed to have it under control as of now though which was pretty good.**

** While the nurse took Becky, Johnna helped me.**

** "Hey, long time no see," I said with a grin as she dressed my wound with a silvery bandage.**

** "I know, amazing we were assigned to the same ship, isn't it?" She murmured as she finished. I just nodded at her. **

** "Okay you can go, they need lots of help up on the bridge." She told me and I silently thanked God. Becky scowled at me with a look that said '**_**you are so lucky' **_

** I chuckled under my breath and winked at her. I walked away without looking back.**


	2. Chapter 2 The long and short of it

**Chapter Two: the long and short of it is really just long.**

** When I finally got to the Bridge, I saw quickly that all was not going very well.**

** People were scrambling along the entire area, with serious and defiant looks. I hurried back to Navigations, where Chekov was pushing buttons in a long and complex series. **

** "Now, vas zhat really to hard?" He asked without even looking back at me. "I don't know." I mumbled at him. Pavel only laughed at me and my stubbornness. I gave him a crooked smile behind his back.**

** I still heard the Klaxon alarm going off and saw the little prism on the station blinking red.**

_** BANG!**_

__**In front of Pavel, the navigations consol blew a circuit and seemed to explode, burning his hands severely. He cried out in surprise and pain, nearly falling out of his chair.**

** "Wait, wait let me see," I asked him impatiently. To tell you the truth I wasn't worrying about whether he was hurt really bad, more like if he was going to have to leave and have me take over. Now that would be completely crazy. I saw how bad the burns were: either 2****nd**** or 3****rd**** degree. I hoped McCoy would just be able to bandage it and not really have to take him down to Deck 7.**

** And that is exactly what happened. I was now in command of navigations, and I was actually pretty calm about it too. I had my back straight and sat upright stiffly, but not like I was totally tensed out. Which I was. **

** Spock eventually came around to me, asking if I had figured out what fuse had broken.**

** "I don't know but it doesn't look like anything is wrong every one of the systems is intact and in perfect condition. Unless Mr. Chekov did some kind of trick I don't know of…"**

**I trailed off, not sure how to continue with out sounding**

**ridiculous about the entire thing. "It would be within your best interest to continue on without your emotions to weigh you down."**

** It did surprise me, but I was now officially learning not to show it and I didn't then, which could have been what he was testing me on.**

** Just then, Becky returned to the Bridge. I gaped at her. I really didn't think she would have come back so soon. In fact, she shouldn't have come back so soon. She looked frail and tired, like she was just about to fall over and faint.**

_** Oookaaayyyy, **_**I thought turning back to Navigations like a good, not-distracted officer. As soon as I looked down at my panel something didn't seem right. All the Light the colorful buttons normally emitted seemed much too dim. I looked up and saw on the main View-screen the same thing Spock, Becky, Sulu and the rest of the Bridge crew saw.**

** There, out in the middle of a sunless star system was a planet moving quickly.**

** "It's a Class-M planet, Sir." Becky said after leaning down to look through Spock's library-computer. She looked very grave and serious. **

** "We could send down a landing party to see if there is some type of intelligent life down there, affecting the **_**Enterprise**_** but so far my scanners are reading no life forms or heat signatures of any kind," She suggested. **

** As soon as she spoke the last syllable it happened again, but in a somewhat different sequence. The station in front of me sizzled and cracked, then we were all flung forward. Both me and Sulu dived over the island we were in command of, rolling to soften the landing. Becky was lucky enough to have the red railing to hold on to with one hand.**

** In a flash, people started rushing about. I heard Uhura asking urgently for reports**

** "All Decks Report Damage,"**

** I heard them all report back that all was well, heard Uhura sigh with relief when they told her. She repeated this**

**Back to Spock who was now Hanging over an engineers' shoulder .**

** "Understood, Lieutenant. Ensign Korff any idea of what is happening?" He asked, still not turning.**

** "No clue, Sir, but I am guessing our best bet is something on the planet." She told him**

** "Continue scanning for life and see what it is orbiting," **

** Everyone continued to hurry through the chaos. Scotty was speaking in a blur, so fast you couldn't really make it out. But the ensign he taught listened intently and did everything Scotty's voice said over the intercom.**

** "Why'd they let you out so quickly?" I whispered to her without pulling my gaze from navigations.**

** "Some persuasion from Spock," She whispered back also refraining from glancing up.**

** Now I had to look "What?" I said a little loudly. She met my eyes for only a second, and then forced herself to go back to staring at the scanner dutifully.**

** "Don't tell anyone okay?" She asked me with a pleading voice. I nodded. "I lived on Vulcan for a few years. My father was an ambassador for the Federation and was assigned to help with negotiations. I don't remember much of it but I do know my father was killed and I had gotten to know Spock while I was there." I gaped at her again. I noticed her eyes seemed sort of glazed over and she shook her head to clear it.**

** "Soooo, you knew Spock **_before_** you were assigned on the **_**Enterprise**_**?"**

** Becky still tried to clear her eyes "Isn't that what I just said? Yeah, he helped get me into Star Fleet academy via anonymous identification,"**

** "What do you think is down there?" I asked changing the subject.**

** "I'm sure I don't know. For all we can see there could be masses of brain tissue with extremely developed telekinesis,"**

** I turned back to my station clicking my tongue nervously against the roof of my mouth while I briefly thought of our conversation. **

_**If her father was killed, how would happen during negotiations on a peaceful planet? Plus, how did she manage to befriend Spock there to? It would not be too hard if you thought about it. Spock's father Sarek is an ambassador as well so they might have met rarely and quickly.**_

** I stopped thinking about that right then as Becky had turned to announce her findings. To me she looked a little scared and almost out of place, weak and frail compared to those on the Bridge around her.**

** "Sir?" Her voice was deathly quiet, but Spock heard her and faced her. He didn't seem as tense when he looked toward her. Maybe it was because Becky was one ensign he could trust to do things right around here without making us all blow up.**

** "Yes, Ensign Korff?" He said, making every single person stop to star at poor, poor, Becky.**

** She cleared her throat, one good hand tightly clenching the railing to prevent herself from collapsing.**

** "There is only a single life form on the planet sir, against all odds, but it seems that the planet…is orbiting the **_**Enterprise**_** herself."**

** No one gasped or laughed or said 'Oh that's a good one have more jokes?' We all stayed silent and when that silence was broken we all seemed to jump.**

** "Are you, positive, Ensign?" He asked her now still without any trace of emotion.**

** "Yes, I am positive. The pattern it displays shows that it is coming closer and closer with each orbital circle. How it came to circling us may be contributed to the fact of high ion-electrode near and on the planet itself. As for the life form there I don't know it can survive since there is no star large enough or close enough to be considered to be a sun."**

** She finally finished the long and confusing paragraph.**

** Spock strode over to join her at the Science Station. I talked to myself quietly until Sulu looked at me with a funny stare.**

** "That's odd. Pavel did that a lot too." He muttered half to himself.**

** "So you two actually use first names on the ship? For a while I thought everyone was all stiff and formal." I asked him jokingly**

** "Besides great officers think alike," I added.**

** "We do use first names, but not often. Pavel doesn't like it when his first name is being used on the job. I don't know why but I'm guessing it makes him feel less important." Sulu told me in a normal tone.**

** "That's probably right, Hikaru," I said looking down at panel A3.**

** I glanced up and gave him half a smile then dropped it just as quick.**

**Again: **_**BAM!!! **_**We were thrown forward as the planet drew closer and started to almost suck us in closer to it. I once more dived over the island with Hikaru landing on my left. I immediately rolled back on to my feet and stumbled with the Vertigo affect heavy on my balance. I swiveled around to see Becky being held down by Spock and another ensign in red. **

** I rushed to them to see what had happened and noticed it quite quickly. **

** The silvery bandage that had wrapped around her right shoulder was now blooming red as the bone had somehow pierced the skin and was now a rose in full color.**

** "No…no I'm okay let me up." She gasped out through clenched teeth. After a stern look, Spock let her up. The other Ensign helped her, careful of her hurt arm.**

** "I must inquire you return to Sickbay," Spock said steadily, one arm around Becky like she needed the support. **

** "I can't--," She took in a gasp of air and started again.**

** "I can't leave my post…I need to stay," She finally seemed to say.**

** Spock stared at her, taking in the fresh blood, her grimace of pain and without further adue did the Vulcan nerve pinch.**

** Becky didn't even cry out. Spock caught her as she fell, and handed her off to Sulu, who stood near me. He took her with a look of surprise and fumbled, almost dropping her to the floor.**

** "Take her to Sickbay Mr. Sulu. Tell the doctor to keep her sedated until she is fit to return. Mr. Chekov should be here momentarily." He said indifferently, and walked over to engineering that Scotty had just come back to. He seemed to be scolding the ensign. **

** I looked back at Sulu. Just as he had walked to the turbo lift with Becky in his arms, Pavel had finally come back to take Navigations from me. Chekov stared at Sulu and shook his head, mumbling in Russian.**

** In a second Pavel had crossed over the room to stand behind me. **

** "Now," I said, spinning to look up at him. "Was that really to hard?" I said in a way to polite and totally mocking you voice.**

** "Damn right it vas." He said to me jokingly. I stood after a second of frantic button pushing. I realized I was almost two inches taller than him, and it made me chuckle. I was taller than someone 5 years older than me **_**and**_** he was a commanding officer. Now, **_**that**_** made me giggle. **

** "Ensign Hoffmann, take over Helm until Mr. Sulu's return," Spock said from engineering.**

** "Aye, Sir," I answered. I took Sulu's seat quickly. Pavel glared at me. **

** "Vhen did you have double Bridge qualifications?" He asked a little crossly.**

** "When I decided to take Helm as well as Navigations, and also Medical classes." I said, "If I am qualified for all three I might as well be doing all three."**

** He mumbled something that sounded like; "It vasn't much use for me." **

** I chuckled. "You didn't exactly ask for my help now did you? Plus why would I want to help an angry Russian who rats me out? Watch your words, Pavel. I can out do you any time." I said to him really having a good time messing with him. I was joking of course, but I'm not sure if Pavel knew that. He seemed surprised by the use of his first name and a little agitated.**

** "Vhatewer," He said.**


	3. The Unfortunate Task at Hand

**Chapter 3: The Unfortunate Task at Hand**

** Hikaru Sulu walked quickly through the halls of Deck 7, trying to get to Sickbay without jostling the ensign enough that she woke. **

** The poor girl had quite a few injuries as far as Hikaru could tell. It looked like the bandage that had held the broken bone in place had been soaked with blood. It also seemed her breathing wasn't right. Every time she took a breathe she was gasping and struggling to get enough oxygen from the air.**

** Hikaru's pace quickened. It was really too bad this had to happen to her. Hikaru liked the new Science Ensign. She could be just as serious as Spock but at least she knew how to smile and had a sense of humor. The girl twisted in his arms murmuring something unintelligible. He concentrated on not dropping her. **

** When he got to Sickbay he wasn't shocked to see almost all the beds filled, doctors and Ensigns alike scrambling from patient to patient. The only person that seemed to notice him was the very person he had to carry all the way down here.**

** "Hey," Becky said weakly, "Put me down," She started to squirm again, forcing Hikaru to lay her on the nearest unoccupied bed before he dropped her. She continued try and escape but could not do so because the lack of air. After a minute of struggle she fell flat against the bed, barely on the edge that hung over unconsciousness. **

** Hikaru was at a loss for what to do. He stood there, hoping to catch someone's attention.**

** "Really got worse didn't she? I shouldn't have let her go back." Suddenly Nurse Chapel was there by Becky's side, already administering a sedative. Becky promptly went out like a light. **

** "If you can spare a minute it would be a big help if you could restrain her for me. Just hold her arms down." Nurse Chapel said, without pausing for him to say whether or not he had a minute.**

** Hikaru did as he was told. When Nurse Chapel pulled out an odd instrument he had to turn away, not wanting to see what ever this weird medical device was intended to do.**

** True to her word, it only did take a minute. Hikaru could still hear the Ensigns' vitals, blaring slowly because of the sedatives effects. He let her go and took a glance at the doctors' handiwork. The bleeding had been stopped and sealed, the broken bone back in place. As Sulu might have expected she had also broken a rib and it had been making it hard to breathe. That was also fixed, now it was silent as she took in air, the rasping sound gone.**

** "You should go now, spock will wonder why you're not back yet." The nurse told like she knew he was anxious to go. Before he left he gave Spock's orders about how long to keep her.**

** Now, he could finally work his way back to the bridge.**

**You wouldn't believe the first thing Sulu said to me when he saw me at the Helm.**

** "What the hell are you doing?" He said once he reached me sitting in his seat. I got up quickly. **

** "Double Bridge qualifications," I answered innocently. He observed what I had done while he was gone. Or at least what I had been trying to do.**

** I had been trying to plot a course that could take us out of here at a maximum of Warp 2 within the time period of a minute. It wasn't possible, at least not by my calculations.**

** And yet he complimented me?**

** "Nice job though…," He told me after looking for mistakes in my math. I sent a smile at Chekov. He only glared at me. I stood behind Pavel now, as he rubbed nervously at his bandaged hands. It made me remember my own broken wrist and the little pangs of pain when I moved it. I could function with one hand but it would bring my speed down and speed would be needed for these happenings on the ship. Chekov had 3****rd**** degree burns covering the surface of his palms and 2****nd**** degree burns on his fingers and wrists, making it hard to do anything with speed or even accuracy. **

** "Lt. Uhura, Commander Chekov, Ensign Hoffmann, and Ensign Graham please report to the transporter room immediately." Spock said over the intercom. I looked at Chekov, over to Uhura and shrugged. I walked with them and didn't talk. I knew Chekov was fuming over the fact I got to come. **_He_** didn't get to do every mission as an Ensign. **_No_** he had to stay back on the ship. My guess was that I got to come because my knowledge on geology and I also took one year of Science classes as well. I had to drop them though because of all the other things I had going on. Maybe they did full background checks on the entire crew. Along the way Chekov got sets of phasers, communicators, and tricorders, and handed them out to us. I was given an extra set for Johnna.**

** We reached the Transporter room a minute later, Johnna was already there standing on transport pad furthest from us. We all took our places, Uhura and Chekov in front and me next to Johnna. Spock then walked in.**

** "Remember to be cautious and alert. We must try and see what is diverting us from our course. Ensign Hoffmann," He looked to me. "Your job is to seek out any geological disturbances." I nodded sharply. **

** "Energize, Mr. Scott," **

** I instantly felt the effect of having my molecules scrambled and slammed back together again suddenly. I thought it was an exhilarating feeling myself, like piloting a shuttlecraft with a league of Klingon War birds on your back.**

** When I materialized I took a deep breath--- and nearly choked on it. I coughed and tried again. It was hard to get enough oxygen from atmosphere without taking the in air so slowly you have to breathe out before you can finish.**

** Johnna gave me a quick Hypo that made me jump. She continued to do so with Uhura and herself as well, but not Chekov. He continued fighting off the urge to pass out.**

** "Why doesn't he get one?" Uhura asked, though I could have answered her.**

** "His blood type is different from ours, it would only make it worse."**

** "Betchya it's all that Russian blood in him." I whispered to Uhura. I was taller than her too. She gave a little laugh then cleared her throat. **

** "Begin with tricorders readings for life forms and any protective shields that might be around them,"**

** I started with what Spock had told me. I could already tell there were high amounts of sulfur, I had smelled it since we had arrived. I looked up to see Pavel and it worried me.**

** "Pavel, are you okay?" I asked him, forgetting momentarily the dislike of his first name on duty. **

** "I'm fine," He said, before promptly passing out. I ran to catch him and lowered him to the ground. Johnna and Nyota hurried over. Johnna handed me the medical scanner and I waved it impatiently over his head. He had an elevated heart rate and high blood pressure but was otherwise fine. He was still out cold and that was probably better.**

** "You guys continue scanning, I can watch him." I said. I know Johnna had taken a Science class too, and she knew I might be more proficient under these circumstances. I continued scans from where I sat on my knees next to Pavel. He was my teacher shouldn't I try to be somewhat responsible for him, even if we fought like a bunch of kids?**

** Just then all three of us pick up on a humanoid reading. We all looked up at each other at the same time, not bothering to say it out loud. It was coming from the east and fast as could be, it ran toward us. I stood and maneuvered in front of the fallen Navigations officer. **

** "Phasers on stun," Uhura said quietly. **

** The humanoid was upon us in a second, so fast it blurred. It stopped right in the middle of us all. I stared at it for a long second.**

** It was shaped like a humanoid but had the traits of a feline. It wore a long black gown and was incredibly thin and shapely, it or rather she for it had a feminine air to it, had the biggest most cat-like eyes I had seen before, glowing dark blue. Her entire body was covered in light gray fur. Also as a high mark in her appearance she was covered in long ropey scars with one that stretched all the way from her hairline to her jaw.**

** I returned my phaser to my belt and stepped forward. The humanoid turned to me sharply, its tail flowing out gracefully behind it.**

_** You must leave this place.**_** It seemed to hiss inside my head. I stepped forward again, and felt a light shock run through my body. I winced, but continued to go forward.**

_**You must hear me when I say I mean you no harm **_**I thought toward her.**

** She stepped back, her pointed ears fell flattened against her angular skull. **

_**Please you must go before it is too late!**_

_**I must know why this is happening. Is there more of your kind? Why are you here? Why is the destruction of the **__Enterprise __**so important?**_** With every word I stepped closer until I was right in front of her. I knew that the **_**Enterprise**_** was facing destruction because a brief image from her showed an explosion from a previous vessel.**

** She looked wildly about, her long strait black hair flying. I didn't dare look toward any of them for help. I could hear Pavel's coarse breathing, heard Johnna trying to reach him.**

** After a moment of panic her hand flew to my temple.**

**Becky struggled against the restraints that held her tightly. She knew they were in case the ship was battered and people were thrown around, but she help but feel the prison like sense it gave off. Becky had been awake for twenty minutes already trying not to be noticed by any of the doctors, nurses, and ensigns that scrambled around for things scattered throughout Sickbay's mass of medical supplies.**

** "Well now, what are you doing awake?" Said the familiar voice of Doctor McCoy himself.**

** "Oh, please don't make me sleep again! I need to go back right away. Please…" When Becky saw him continuing to measure out the correct amount of a red liquid she quickly fell silent.**

** "Sorry, but Spocks orders. I admit he may not know that much about medical situations but he knows enough not to let people go prancing around when it's possible could bleed to death." He glanced around himself as if to make sure no one heard. "Don't tell him I said that. I'd never hear the end of it."**

**Becky only had time to promise she wouldn't before she was knocked out cold by the drug.**

**There was a flash and all I could see was what she showed me.**

_**I saw another planet like this one, with a reddish orange atmosphere, a picture of destruction, what looked like a colony that had not survived such harsh heat. I saw what could've been a Romulan or a Vulcan. I also saw a maze. A giant puzzle that stretched for miles upon miles. Then it was gone.**_

** I gasped. The pictures stopped. I was me again and I was in awe.**

_**I can let you go. You must get out. **_**She said in a whispher**

_**I must know… who are you? You are protecting a secret of some sort, but why?**_

_** I am the secret keeper, the one who knew all. I am Shaiani the Romulan goddess of all life and death. I was sent here by the very people who once cherished me. I too, must now go. I will suppress my power for as long as I can then you must destroy the planet for it is my Life source. You must hurry!**_

__**With that she pushed me away and ran on all fours. I stood for a second and turned on my heals back to the others.**

** "Did you both see that?" I asked hoping they would be able to back me up. They nodded and Uhura looked up from Chekov with a worried face.**

** "Yes we need to go." She said already pulling the communicator from her belt. "Scotty we're ready to beam up. We will explain upon arrival…"**

** "Pavel," I whispered. He moaned and opened his eyes. He shot upward, then sank down again after a rush of blood.**

** "Can you stand?" I asked him.**

** "Yes," He snapped at me.**

** I ignored the rudeness and pulled one of his arms around my neck to help him stand. Johnna came to his left and also helped.**

** "Energize."**

** The rush was back and gone just as fast. Between Johnna and me, Pavel shuddered and went limp. I reached for the medical pouch and pulled out the hypo needle with a small amount of a stimulant to get him awake.**

** He groaned and woke once more. We ignored Scotty's many questions and hurried up to the Bridge, half dragging Chekov with us.**

** When we got there we were surprised to see the True Captain back on the Bridge and in command. We dropped Chekov in his seat at Navigations, where he immediately rested his head on the Panel and tried to sleep.**

** "Mr. Chekov." Kirk warned him. "Aye, sir." Pavel said back sitting up straight and leaning back.**

** "Captain we need to destroy that planet." I said seriously.**

** He looked at me incredulously. "we have neither the means or a reason to," He replied back probably thinking about kicking us off the Bridge. I noted the fact that I could hear Pavel snoring lightly and it made me want to laugh.**

** "Captain, I was there as well. She's not joking."**

** "I saw it too," Johnna spoke for the first time now, looking small and frightened.**

** "Captain, it would seem we are able to move." Sulu said after a confused second. We all glanced over at Sulu.**

"**Please we don't have time to explain this all."**

** "Captain, I notice there are large deposits of sulfur, if we hit one its possible that it could help us succeed in its destruction." Someone said. It was Becky.**

** "That could work, Captain." Spock agreed.**

** "I am going to have to trust you 4" He looked at Pavel who was still sound asleep. "3 of you on this."**

** "Mr. Chekov," Still, Pavel snored. "**_**Mr. Chekov**_**," Kirk said a little louder making Pavel jump. "Thank you for deciding to join us. Now target one of the deposits and fire. "Aye, Keptin." Pavel said, and he fired.**

** The planet exploded and sent shards flying. One hit a Deck below us and sent everyone flying forward. I rolled off to one side, Chekov dived over navigations, Uhura held tightly to the rail, and Spock clutched onto the Library/Computer.**

** I was on my feet fast, helping people up. I found Becky completely unharmed and whole, unlike quite a few on the Bridge.**

** I saw Pavel dragging himself back to navigations, swearing in Russian, holding his right shoulder. I walked to him.**

** "You want my help?" I asked though I was going to even if he said no.**

** "Sure, prove you know vhat your doing." He said acidly.**

** "Okay, think of something good, you know Russia maybe."**

**He gave me a funny stare and did so.**

** When I pushed his shoulder up and in, he yelped.**

** "You're good. Does it still hurt?" I asked just in case it tore a muscle.**

** "No, you just surprised me is all." He told me in embarrassed mumble.**

** "All Decks, report damage" Uhura asked over the intercom. I didn't hear the answer because Johnna and I were now preoccupied with the captain, who was appearing to have trouble catching his breath.**

** "Doctor McCoy shouldn't have let you out so close after surgery." She scolded. Kirk was surprised that she said anything in such a tone and it showed clearly on his face. I giggled silently.**

** "Right, well it can't be helped," He said to her.**

** "Oh yes it can, you are coming back to Sickbay with me." Johnna said taking a stand against the highest ranking commander on the ship. Kirk took a pleading glance toward Spock, who merely raised an eyebrow. **

** Johnna and Kirk left the Bridge, once more leaving Spock in command of the **_**Enterprise**_**.**

** "Vulcan, that's **_**it,**_**" Spock looked at me. I realized that the other planet had been Vulcan. "We need to plan a course for Vulcan," I told Spock. The others still on the Bridge looked at me, all except for Pavel who had fallen asleep again.**

** "As much as it would not bother me to visit my home planet, I fail to see your logic, ensign." He said in an almost condescending tone.**

** "What the creature showed us, it had something to do with the Romulans and Vulcans, something the Romulans are hiding."**

** There was a moment of complete silence.**

** "Mr. Chekov---." He started then he looked over at Pavel and back to me. "Plot a course to Vulcan. I shall consult with the Captain."**

** "Hey, wake up." I said nudging Pavel with my elbow. He shot up and looked wildly about, seeming embarrassed. Not that I blame him. He fell asleep on the Bridge, had his hands severely burned, shoulder dislocated, and passed out on the planet. It was not a good day for him.**

** "Go down to Sickbay." I told him looking down at the Panels and pressing a series of buttons that would take us off to Vulcan.**

** He grabbed my hand before I could finish. **

** "I can do it," He said Tersely.**

** I glared at him. "I do have some authority when it comes to medical areas. Do you want me to drag you there?"**

** He continued to glare right back at me.**

** "Fine why don't you just get some sleep then? Do something other then sleep on the bridge,"**

** I pleaded with my eyes. "Please?"**

** Pavel seemed appalled by my worry. "Fine,"**

** He got up and left, stumbling with sleepiness. I cracked my knuckles and laid in the course.**

** "Course laid in, Sir." I told Spock.**

** He nodded. "Warp Factor 2, ."**

** "Aye, Sir,"**

** We continued forward at speedy pace, but not nearly as fast as we were capable of. Spock had left us to consult with the Captain, leaving Scotty in charge. Seeing as how things weren't going wrong, I decided to say something to Becky.**

** "You know this might have something to do with you and your family, too?" I said after thinking over my words a bit.**

** "I've known since I woke up that something was going on." She said almost dejectedly.**

** "Be careful, okay? I have a feeling your way deep in this thing." She told me quietly. **


	4. Chapter 4: A Vulcan's Memory

**_Hey guys. Thx to people reviewing and to those who don't PLEASE do_()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()())()()()()()()()()()()()()(_))()()()()(**

**Chapter 4: A Vulcan's Memory**

"I t'ink ve're almost dere." Chekov said when he had finally returned from a good sleep in Sickbay.

"T'ink?" I said laughing, "Dere, Ve're?" I continued to smirk at him.

"I cannot help your infernal language! It makes no sense to me half ze time." He said to me, leaning back in his chair to glare at me.

I shrugged. "You know, I always thought I might wish to visit Russia." I told him seriously.

"Vhy didn't you?" He asked. Now we weren't joking. I shrugged again. "No time, not enough credits, you know, that stuff."

"I'd be happy to show you around if ve ewer make it back to Earth." He said not looking at me.

I swiveled him around in his chair so he had to look at me. He stared right into my eyes, like he could scare me with the intensity. It didn't work, only because I had grown up giving those glares to kids that called me a geek. That and I also beat quite a few up on the Academy grounds as part of a simulation.

"My, My Pavel," I said jokingly again, "Sounds like your asking me on a date."

His face turned red and he stuttered, "Not a date, just two people, enjoying…"

He stopped again when I purposely frowned.

"Not that I wouldn't…. It's just…." When I laughed he made an exasperated sound, like he knew I was putting him on.

"I'd rather go to Scotland." Becky told us. Scotty immediately glanced up when he heard that, smiling proudly at the thought of his homeland.

"Aye, a beautiful place Scotlan is." He told us happily, "You canno believe the sights ye can see thare."

We got into a fight about the best country on earth; Russia, Scotland, Africa, Japan. No one bothered to defend America.

Right as Uhura was about to tell us the luxurious life of Africa, the turbo-lift doors hissed open, letting in Kirk and- Johnna?

Johnna followed the captain diligently, looking smug and in control. Kirk himself seemed highly annoyed—my guess was that McCoy had gotten the best of him, forcing someone to watch him everywhere he went.

Chekov tapped my shoulder and I got up. He took my seat, looking at Vulcan, now close up on the screen.

"Coming up on Wulcan, Keptin," He said after searching on our current coordinates.

"Thank you, Mr. Chekov. Mr. Sulu Standard orbit." Kirk said back, smiling at the way Pavel said "Wulcan,"

"Aye, sir"

The landing party consisted of Spock, Chekov, Johnna, Uhura, and me. The Captain was declared unfit for this 'mission', by Doctor McCoy, whom had meticulously planned. First of all, the Captain didn't need to go with them. Secondly, why go if there was possible danger, and he was already hurt. I had to agree.

Spock split off from us, going to visit his family while he could. That left us at a loss for what to do. I tried to remember what we had seen. There was the colony of either Romulans or Vulcans, unable to survive the heat. I thought it more probable to be Romulans, seeing as how hot it was on Vulcan. I still didn't know what this had to do with either race though. It must have been the Romulans that had the secret seeing as the goddess was from Romulus. They were not peaceful people as we already discerned. Was it possible they had someone undercover on Vulcan, watching carefully for weaknesses? Why though, and how?

_What, when, who, where, why, and how?_ Those were the most simple questions and yet the hardest to answer. I hated being insubordinate, especially when it came to Starfleet. I walked my way toward the city of Shikahr, surprised when everyone followed me without question. Even Uhura, whom was three ranks above me. Along the way we saw few Vulcan children. The only one I noted was a young boy walking in a full outfit of robes with his pet. The pet was a six foot tall _sehlat _as I later learned, basically a giant teddy bear with six inch fangs. I myself thought it was sort of cute but Becky found them funny. When we came into the city, we were greeted by a kind group of Vulcan's, consisting of mostly the younger generation most likely our age, and all woman; or rather they greeted Becky. They all wore the same deep blue robes as we had seen the one Vulcan dressed in with three triangles tip to tip on the left shoulder, long black hair pulled back into a tight braid.

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Friend." The one girl said.

"And you T'Shan. Tell me, why are you in the city? I have always known you to be more of a country girl." Becky seemed to be joking. _With a Vulcan?_

"I might you a question of the same origin." T'Shan responded with no visible emotion.

"Dispatch mission," I told them. I shouldn't have jumped in like that, but Becky, even though I knew for only a few short days, was a horrid liar.

"I see," T'Shan said though she knew quite clearly that wasn't why. The other Vulcans behind her seemed to grow restless.

"We must be going, I am afraid our classes shall start soon. Live long and prosper." She told us all, right hand forming a V.

"Peace and long life." Becky responded respectfully. The group dissipated, all of them in quite different directions. It seemed somewhat odd, especially since they all had to go to class. I shrugged to myself.

_Beep, Beep. _My communicator insisted dully. I handed it to Uhura and she flipped it open with a flash.

"Uhura here," She said quietly. Spock's voice filtered back through the private communicator channel.

"Report."

"No changes or new information."

"Have your party meet me at the coordinates I am sending you now in a half hour. Spock out." Before Uhura could respond he already had his communicator flipped shut and was off the channel.

The communicator beeped one shrill time, signaling it had received the coordinates of where ever we had to go. Uhura listened as a blank voice repeated the numbers dutifully.

"Oh, I know where that is!" Becky said happily. "That's-,"

She noticed us all looking at her and fell silent. I had a feeling she was going to say 'that's where Spock lives' but I didn't ask her to finish her sentence. We made our way toward what I guessed to be Spock's home, Becky out to lead. She didn't bother to question if she was headed the right way, she knew exactly where to go and how to get there.

We were there in the half hour we were supposed to. Upon our arrival the door flung open to reveal whom I guessed only to be Spocks mother. She rushed forward to hug Becky tightly. Becky hugged her back. Spock and Ambassador Sarek stood behind them looking as embarrassed as a Vulcan could.

"It is so good to see you again, honey!" Spocks mother said fiercely.

"And you Amanda, I missed you."

"You have no idea what it's like with only Sarek here. He hardly gives me hugs anymore. Him and his _logic _my foot."

Amanda said jokingly. Becky laughed with good humor, a sound I had not heard from her before.

"I do not see how that is humorous. If not for logic, we simply could not survive." Sarek said pointedly.

We all laughed. Amanda directed us all inside, and told us to make our selves at home. That made me think of Chekov trying to rearrange everything into a Russian style, with maps of the Soviet Union hanging on the walls. I nearly laughed out loud.

Amanda disappeared into another room then hurried out with a plate of cups and saucers. We all took one and said our thanks. I took a sip of the hot, dark liquid. Tea. Actual _tea_. It was wonderful too. Everyone else tried theirs. Pavel hid a grimace and Becky smiled. I thought it to be one of the best things ever since the academy.

I set my cup in its saucer and held it on my lap.

"The reason we are here is not for any other reason then a mystery of sorts, as I am quite sure you have figured out by now mother." Spock said carefully.

"I know."

"Then you have also figured out that the mission we are on is not one issued by Starfleet Command." The question seemed directed more at Sarek then Amanda.

Sarek gave a sharp nod. Spock looked toward me, basically saying that it was me who should tell the story.

I started off, it was painfully slow from point A to point B especially when Uhura added her two cents whenever I left something out.

By the time I had finished I noticed that everyone except me was deep in their own minds, trying to come up with some sort of solution.

"And you think this to be somehow connected with the death of Rebecca's father?" Sarek asked. Becky seemed to wince at her full name. "I'm not sure. I don't think I've ever heard of a Vulcan killing anyone for any reason."

"Nor would you. Killing is something no Vulcan takes lightly."

I took another sip of tea.

"I know, of course that the Vulcans and Romulans were a single race a very long time ago, but I can't help but wonder why the two branched off in different ways."

I didn't expect him to answer me and he really didn't have to either. What surprised me is that he did answer and it didn't even seem to bother him.

"The Vulcans and Romulans are very close, but only biologically. They, of course, have emotions and that it what gives their credit for being a deceitful and undesirable race. They believe the path to wisdom is through emotion instead of logic. They can kill without any guilt, but ironically, cannot seem to bear the fact that they are in some way related to Vulcans. When it happened they were happy to go and develop there own colonies elsewhere."

Sarek looked to Spock and he took over the story.

"The Romulans first of six colonies was unsuccessful. What exactly caused them to go so wrong is unknown to us. The next three developments were not entirely successful, but we have limited to knowledge of their progress. The last are the main two, as you know to be Romulus and Remus.

"Though we don't know much about this race we do know that they are common trouble makers."

Spock seemed to be cut off by Chekov's sudden interest in a furry animal locked securely in a cage.

"Is that a Tribble?" He asked out of the blue. "Yes it is." Amanda answered. "I love how fuzzy he is. His name is Treble."

"Say that ten times fast," I whispered to Uhura. She concealed her giggles.

"Mother I hardly see why you own such a creature. their existence is illogical." Spock said with distaste. Amanda let out an exasperated gasp. "I was hoping there would be a day without that word being said." She told us. We smiled but said nothing.

I took another sip of tea.

Sarek just got back to business like the Vulcan he was. "We have some of our kind that may be able to help you, but only if they are allowed on the _Enterprise._"

I shall have to consult the Captain to know for sure…I cannot help but ask who would it be that we would take aboard the ship?"

"T'Shan. You knew her only briefly I am afraid, but Miss Korff has associated with her."

"Yes, we actually just saw her recently." Becky said to Amanda more than Sarek.

_BEEP,BEEP! _Spock's communicator complained. He answered it diligently.

"Spock here." He said into the device.

"Spock, how is it going down there?" Kirk asked rather impatiently.

"From the sound of your voice it is almost as if you are expecting something to go wrong." Spock inquired.

"Well I must assume the worst … but anything to report?"

"No Captain, other then to receive permission to have a Vulcan board the ship to help us with our mission."

"Permission granted. Be ready to beam up in approximately 30 minutes. Kirk out."

We all looked at each other, asking what to do with our eyes. Becky made the first move and broke the eerie silence.

"It was nice to see you again, Amanda, Sarek. I hope next time our visit will be longer and on better terms. I suggest we find T'Shan before to long."

And we did find her quite easily. It turns out she was one of Sarek's advisors and was coming anyway to give him some important papers. After some heart felt goodbyes and the traditional Vulcan ritual of 'Living long and Prospering' we beamed back aboard the _Enterprise_ with our guest.

"Welcome aboard the _U.S.S. Enterprise._ I am Captain James T. Kirk."

T'Shan did the Vulcan Sign—but with her left hand. I didn't really take it to mind. I had noticed before we transported that she was left handed.

"Nice to finally meet the Famed Captain Kirk. Hardly believable one of your stature could need my help."

"Yes, well we shall talk of this on our way down to your quarters." He said back calmly. "Yes, of course." T'Shan said equal to his tone.

As they left, T'Shan glanced back at me. It was an almost

Evil stare, even though she had no expression. Her eyes showed it all. They were a startling grey, with specks of black. And they were gone now leaving Chekov, Scotty, Uhura, Becky and me together in the transporter room.

Becky shrugged. "I dunno about you guys but my shift is over, and I kinda want to go down to Engineering for a change."

Scotty immediately smiled and said happily," I'd love to show yea around." They left together, along with Uhura. That left me and Pavel. Alone. We stood there looking at our feet awkwardly.

"I guess I should go the bridge. It's my turn for an all nighter." I said after a minute. The sentence actually wasn't that true seeing as how there is no night or day in space.

"Yeah. I'll see you later then." He said like he was some what out of it.

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**_Awsome eh? Really long this time__. __Fyi most people don't know that Peace and Long life is the proper response to_ Live long and prosper. So PLEASE PLEASE review. I write faster. Right now I am at 1 chapie every two weeks. The more reviews, the faster I type. Any questions about charactors, requests for backround info on anyone will be seen and most likely answered eventually THX! LLAP _\\ /**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Wait, WHAT?

"Jenny?" Someone said in my odd dream. It didn't make sense cause it sounded like Becky but she was busy talking about how to blow stuff up with Scotty…

"JENNY!"

I squeaked and sat up quickly—and banged my head off of Becky's, who was trying to wake me up.

"Ouch. Jeeze, get ready it's almost your shift and the other ensign is having some issues."

I moaned and held my head. "Well what happened to Pavel?"

"Uhh… He's sort of doing something else." She sounded embarrassed.

I stared straight at her. Her mask of calmness cracked and she gave up. "Fine. He's in Sickbay."

I gaped at her and she backed away. "Don't hurt me please…" She mumbled.

"What happened?" I said cool and collected after my extreme brain rush.

"We were walking to the Rec hall and someone attacked us. He took the hit for me."

"Is he okay?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah he's fine but Dr. McCoy won't let him go, not surprising seeing as how he lost so much blood. They're still trying to find out if the blade was poisoned." She made it sound cheery

I threw of my covers and pulled my uniform from a dresser drawer.

"Meet me down in Sickbay, okay?" I told her. She nodded and left my room.

I pulled my uniform on and brushed my hair quickly. Then from another drawer I pulled out a pencil and hid it in my sleeve. It was lucky and never failed me. I took one look in the mirror and sighed. I walked out the door and it hissed shut behind me. I took a left two rights on on the turbolift down three levels. I walked into Sickbay and there was only three people crowded around Pavel who was standing against Doctors orders. There was a bandage wrapping his shoulder and already it was beginning to stain red with fresh blood. I stomped toward them, already planning some harsh words.

He spotted me seconds before I rushed him back to bed and started interrogating him.

"Who was it?" I asked

"I don't-."

"When did it happen?" I cut him off

"About-."

"Why did you take the hit instead of Becky?"

"Because-."

"Well-?" I tried but he now cut me off.

"If you vould be quiet I could tell you!" He said with limited patience. I immediately shut up. He told me what happened. Apparently the unknown assailant tried to attack Becky when they weren't paying attention. Luckily he saw the person and intercepted the knife. They had no clue who it was and no way to find the person either.

His shoulder continued to bleed heavily until the point he nearly passed out. I called Dr. McCoy in even though I knew what to do. The good Doctor took a blood sample and knocked Pavel out with some drugs.

Just then Kirk walked in, a odd expression on his face.

"How is he Bones?" He asked quietly.

"Well, Jim I don't really know. The wound won't close and soon he'll need more blood. We have no clue what caused the wound either."

Then the Captain looked straight at me. "You may find your presence needed on the Bridge, ensign. You command Navigations until Mr. Chekov may return."

"aye, sir." I promptly walked with my head down to the Bridge. When I got there I politely tapped the other ensign on the shoulder and saw it was in fact Becky wearing the same kind of uniform I did.

"Thank goodness. I thought you'd never get here." She said relieved

"Didn't I tell you to meet me in Sickbay?" I asked as I took over my station.

"Yeah, sorry the captain wanted me to try a few different things on the Bridge. Apparently I'm a 'fine specimen'" She shivered. "I think he's just trying to get me to like him and it's frustrating him because his charm isn't working. Ha little creeper. Anyway, I stole some of your clothes and by the way yellow is not my color." Becky rambled. I knew she was trying to distract me.

Oh, well back to work as always. I'll never get why Chekov is always the one who gets the crap beat out of himself. Never.

On the Bridge was the Vulcan who had befriended Becky. She seemed to glare at me. I whistled to myself quietly. From beside me I heard athe Helmsman explain the contrl they had over the ship. It took me a second to realize it wasn't Sulu. It was Becky.

I giggled. She had no clue what she was doing.

As soon as I was off duty I went back down to Sickbay to see if I could help. They had narrowed it down to a one inch blade, with some sort of oily toxin on it that prevented it from healing. It was harsh enough to burn two layers of the skin surrounding the wound and was turning his shoulder a sickly green gray color.

He still brushed it off as unimportant. Pavel pleaded to get out of the sickbay, seeming desperate to get back to work. After I left I continued I sat in my bed and read a good old fashion book, with paper and all. It was Lord of the Rings, one of my favorites.

There was impatient beep at the door. Probably Becky.

"Come in," I said tiredly. To my amazment it was Pavel who walked in my door, who gave me a toothy grin, who nearly scared the death out of me.

"_What are you doing?"_ I hissed at him dropping my book on the bed and standing up to him. He only smiled wider.

"I got bored in Sickbay. Luckily one of my friends is down in security." Pavel beamed despite my angry expression.

I dragged him to a chair and made him sit down. He still looked pale and worn out. I couldn't move him now or make him go back . It would only be more harmful.

"I vent to Becky to but it seems she wasn't to happy to see me ezer. So I escaped and came ower here instead."

I sighed and pulled my night gown around myself. It was rather cold in my quarters. I pulled a blanket off my bed and threw it over Pavel, He didn't complain simply because he had already fallen asleep, or passed out.

"Computer," I whispered. "Time?"

It responded with its metallic voice that it was 1400 hours. One hour until my shift. I sighed again and slipped into my bathroom to get dressed. After I was dressed and ready I sent a message that Chekov was in my quarters and his condition was stable. I told McCoy I would send him back when my shift was over. He agreed quite unwillingly, but knew that there was little we could do about anything right now. Right as I was about to walk out the door, Pavel mumbled something about a Romulan as well as Becky and my name. Odd, I thought and walked out the door toward the Bridge. Maybe I would have Becky keep an eye on him. Her shift was over whenever mine started.

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**I know its really short, but stick with it and please **_**please**_** review. I really would like/need a bit of constructive critism.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: The Unexpected Surprise**

None ever would have guessed that Chekov would be back to the Bridge the next day, after he had passed out in my room. Especially when ever four others were attacked. Fortunately, the people had been in time to deflect the blows and one managed to get a glimpse of the attacker. Unfortunately one was Becky as well as myself.

We were fine, other than scrapes and bruises but the other two, Spock and Kirk, were still in Sickbay at McCoy's request. That left me at Navigations, Becky at Science and awkwardly at command…Pavel. He was still pale, a little short tempered and extremely hyped up on a shot of adrenaline. Pavel couldn't stay still, and continued to pace around the Bridge. I sighed again and pressed a few buttons that would keep us on a stable course. I sat up in my chair, tense and past bored. We were still at an impasse for what to do seeing as how couldn't glean any useful information about the past of this goddess.

Just then T'Shan walked onto the Bridge. In one hand she held an ornamental dagger. She attacked Scotty before anyone could react.

Everyone jumped as he warded off the attack. Seconds before we could tear her away from the surprised engineer, Spock ran to the Bridge and had given the nerve pinch to the violent Vulcan. It did nothing but make her turn to attack the new found threat. Luckily Spock was quick and lethal and managed to subdue her until Dr. McCoy could retrieve a Hypo.

T'Shan was passed out in Spock's arms. Dr. McCoy already was at Scotty's side looking for blood. Gladly he found only a little from a small cut on one arm. All three of them left the Bridge and were replaced by Kirk. All of the crew was on an adrenaline rush, unable to keep still. Pavel beside me was having a hard time copping for his blood loss as well as the rush. He was on the edge of fainting. I touched him lightly on the shoulder and said, "I can take over here. Go to sleep. You're going to pass out if you aren't careful."

He seemed almost offended. "I am fine. I just am a little shaky still." He was past shaky. Pavel slumped back in his chair and closed his eyes. He was incredibly tense, wound up like rubber band ball that was stretched to far.

"Pavel." I said quietly. His eyes opened to see a serious stare from me, pleading with him.

"Mr. Chekov, report to Sickbay." Kirk commanded from behind us as though he was listening.

Pavel was startled by the Captains intervention.

I called Becky over to our station and told her not to blow anything up. I pulled his good arm around my neck and helped him limp to Sickbay. When we arrived he promptly fell onto one of the many diagnostic beds and finally blacked out from stress and blood loss. His pulse was rapid, but slowly descending... I couldn't help but worry. Across from his bed was the betrayer. I looked above her head at the Diagnostics. Out of curiosity, I called M'benga over. I asked him about the readings and he frowned. They weren't correct for a Vulcan.. He looked surprised then ran to the comm nearest to him.

"M'benga to Bridge."

"Scott here, wut tis it?"

"The Vulcan who attacked our people. She isn't actually a Vulcan."

"Wut dae ya mean laddie?" Scotty sounded impatient.

"She's a Romulan sir."

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now, who would've guessed? Thnx to the three who have commented to those who haven't please do so cus I value opinions LLAP -\\/


	7. Chapter 7

_Only two mild bad words but other than that enjoy. I put this out early as a treat to JASPERHALEFOREVER someone who kind enough to comment quite a few times. _

Chapter 7: 'Good Luck Charms don't always work.'

Anyone in my family could have told you good luck charms don't always work.

We have horrid luck. The thing is I could tell you the most about it. Now just keep that in mind for a minute. The orange pencil given to me by my first guy friend in school always had this uncanny ability to help me earn good grades. Apparently that doesn't extend to helping keep my friends healthy. Pavel's worsening condition and stubborness made it hard not to worry. To top that off Becky had been injured by the same kind of knife. _Plus_ that clued us in on one of T'Shan's secrets. She had an accomplice aboard the ship who was still on the loose, and according most logical thought it will be either Uhura or me next.

Either way, its possible leaving my only luck charm with my injured friends wasn't the best idea, even if it felt like it at the time. Upon leaving Sick bay the second day after Becky had been hurt I was - you guessed it- attacked by the mysterious assailant.

"Help!" I screamed, hoping someone would hear the struggle between me and the attacker who tried desparatly to shut me up. He clamped a hand over my mouth. I bit him furousicly, hard enough to make him cry out and pull away. I struggled to break free from his grip while he mercilessly held something over my nose and mouth so and couldn't breath. As a last attempt I kicked him in the place men don't want to be black robed figure grunted and hit me so forcefully I blacked out. My last thought was, _Oh well better now than later._

"Help!" Someone had screamed. Michael was just minding his own business on the seventh deck when had heard someone cry out for help. When he rounds a corner maybe twenty seconds later he sees a black figure carrying Jenny swiftly through the halls. That was enough to throw him into action. He ran as fast as he could.

The figure heard and looked back-to late. He knew he couldn't run without starting a seen so he did the only thing he could. He pulled the dagger from his belt and said in a raspy- and feminine voice? "If you follow me she dies."

Michael didn't relax his stance. In the short distance he saw the chief engineer Montgomery Scott coming to see what the noise was. Michael stared straight into his eyes trying to convey the important message of danger to the Engineer. Hopefully when Scotty ran off after a brief nod that meant he understood and was going for help.

The attacker set down the unconsuois Navigator and muttered something quietly, touching one open palm to her face. Jenny shuddered in her forced dreams.

"What are you doing to her?" Michael asked nearly jumping in to intervene.

"You will know soon enough." The person whispered. The girl stood and ran now, far to fast for Michael to catch her.

A little party of red appeared with phasers, sending him a questioning glance. He pointed of to the left where the attacker had gone. They ran after her.

From behind him he saw three more people rushing toward him and Jenny, of whom was now starting to come around. She moaned.

"What the hell happened this time?" Bones McCoy grumbled. Becky and Chekov were behind him looking relieved because she wasn't bleeding.

All I knew was my brain hurt a whole hell of a lot more than I wanted to.

I tried not to moan again while someone picked me up and carried me through several hallways. With each step my head throbbed even more painfully than the last. It stopped abruptly when I was set down. I lay still, expecting Dr. McCoy or someone with doctorly experience would start scolding me. I tried to remember what had happened. I was greeted by a wave of nausea that made me want to throw up. I could feel my mind start to go fuzzy. I heard a brief hiss and felt a little sting. My mind began floating back towards the light of Sickbay.

"Is she awake?" I heard Becky whisper. I muttered something like,

"" I meant, No I am still asleep and it was nice until you came in.

I could almost imagine Chekov laughing. I laughed to, my voice raspy and uneven compared to the way I normally was. According to Becky, my voice was always uneven though because "You are so loud I'm gonna slug you." Bringing up the mere memory made me shiver with the pain that followed. I turned away from the light but they just pulled me into a sitting position, which made my head throb again. I moaned, "Lemmealoneiwannasleep" They didn't leave me alone and I didn't get to sleep. I shoved at the hands that tried to steady me. I opened my eyes to see three people hanging over me and a light flashing in my eyes.

"Uhhhhhstoppit." I grumbled weakly. He administered yet another hypo with painful quickness. The surge of adreneline finally seemed to reach my heart, sending my into a spirally, vertigo, way-to-much-to-handle frenzy. I shuddered as the renewed energy, once again, made me want to throw up.

"Pupils are dialated. Brain activity off the charts... What the hell happened back there?"

"I... don't know… any time I try to remember... it hurts." Everyone stared at me thoughtfully.

"All right, just get some rest." McCoy told me, worry disguised in those baby blue eyes of his.

A week later...

"There's been a lot of rumors goin' around about you." Becky said after I had gotten out of Sickbay. They hadn't found anything wrong with me other than frequent migraines caused by Becky.

"Like what?" I took a sip of tea as she replied,

"Like you and Pavel are going out." I spit a mouthful of tea at her.

"_Who the hell started that?"_ I screeched.

"Sulu, I think." I put my mug on the table with a loud thud, not even caring it splashed on to the table.

"Okay. I started it." She giggled furiously. I stood up and towered over her angrily. She ruined the effect by standing too, now two inches taller.

"You may have just gotten out of Sickbay too, but now you're going right back." I chased her around the mess hall where she quickly located Chekov to tell him what she had 'heard'.

"That is so not true," I hissed at her.

"It feels true."

The glass in Chekov's hand shattered. He didn't even seem to notice as blood started to drip down his wrist. Pavel simply sighed and dropped the red tinted glass from his iron grip.

"Are you okay?" Becky asked, her smile morphing into a frown.

"Nyet. Am bleeding." His accent was thicker than usual and his English harder to understand than normal. Chekov sounded tired and zoned out. He took a napkin and held carefully over the seeping wound, trying to staunch the flow.

"Do you want to go to Sickbay or have me handle it?" I asked, know worried something was seriously wrong.

Pavels dark eyes met mine for a second and then he looked away. In that one second I had seen how sad and depressed he was.

"Anyzing but zere." He mumbled. I took his wrist and inspected the cut while Becky went to my room for bandages.

"What's wrong, Pasha? You seem distracted." I asked, using his pet name that only a few people knew. (A.K.A. Me, Becky, Sulu, and Uhura)

"Nuzing to vorry of." He replied quietly, not even wincing when I touched the cut with more force then necessary. It was hard to understand him. Maybe I could have Uhura come by...

Becky rushed in with the stuff I needed. I stopped her and turned her around so we had our backs turned on Chekov.

"You fix him up. Try and figure out what's buggin' him." I whispered. I left them there, wondering what could be so disturbing as to make him appear so...helpless and lost. Like a cute little puppy. Forget I even thought that. _Hell,_ I'm forgetting I ever thought that.

I didn't hear from either of them that night so when I was on the Bridge the next morning I didn't know what to expect.

The entire Bridge seemed incredibly lost without his exuberant air. Without his exclamations of how he can do zhat. Without the kid Navigator.

Chekov was there all right, but only physically. He stared blankly at the view screen. No one dared to ask what had happened to his hand and no one bothered to ask why he was so down.

I waved Becky over by the turbo lift doors.

"His parents were in an accident." She whispered somberly. I stared at her, unbelieving.

"He wouldn't tell me anything other than there in critical condition and they might not make it.

"He must be worried sick." I thought out loud.

"He is. Literally. He had a fever last night. He absolutely refused to see Bones. I was up with him all night just watching over him. His fever didn't break but it went down a wee bit."

"Are you telling me he has a fever of—"

"102" She provided.

"—And you let him show up for _work?_" Just as she was about to reply the Captain oh so helpfully broke into the conversation, bringing it apparent to everyone on the Bridge. Except Pavel who continued staring ahead.

"Something you two would like to share?" Yes my boot up your ass. I thought harshly.

"No Captain." We said unison. It creeped everyone out when we did that, including ourselves. People said it was unnatural. I totally agreed.

I stood behind Chekov, trying not to look to worried and knowing I was failing miserably. I put my hand on his shoulder and when he turned to glance at me I gave a smile that said, _I know what happened._

His eyes were still sad, their normal deep chocolate brown now like muddy water, bloodshot and dry.

"Mr. Chekov."

"Aye, sair."

"Are you sick? I can feel heat rolling off of you."

"Slightly, sair. Is no problem." His voice was rough.

"Do you want to see the Doctor?"

"Nyet. Am fine." He muttered.

The Captain looked like he wished to continue, but I sent a pleading expression. If one more person tried to question him he would lash out. I could tell how tense Chekov was.

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Yeah…. Im sorry Its so weird. Please stick with me here people. Comment. I like constructive criticism. lol LLAP


	8. Chapter 8

Minor swear words. nothing major.

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**Chapter 8: That's What you Get **

I bet you never would guess I write poetry. I bet you never guessed I had a thing for Russians either.

Well the poetry thing was true. The Russian thing, kind of.

Anyway, the good news came to me while I was writing my poem called _Fate*_.

Chekov came running into my quarters, a bunch of happy words that I couldn't understand. I only heard a bunch of words in Russian. I really should learn how to speak more Russian.

"Whoa Pavel, English please." I said laughing. If he was happy about something I could be to.

He had to repeat his statement slowly in the correct language.

"So you're parents are all right then?"

"Da,Da of course. And zere is something else I must tell you to."

"Okay…"

"For our next shore leave we are returning to earth…"

"…And you want me to come with you to Russia?"

"Yes. And Becky too." He beamed like a five year old with a new toy.

"Okay. But it won't be for a while right? I mean we're still on our way to… what was it, Flyspeck*"

"Da. I know. It might be a month or two but I vanted to tell you."

"Does Becky know?"

"Nyet. Ve tell her next." He took my hand and pulled me happily toward Becky's room, which was connected to mine.

I stopped, suddenly suspicious. "Wait a minute… Why aren't you still in Sickbay?" He tried to give me puppy dog eyes. I was proud that I didn't fall for it.

I faked a gasp. "You evil little Russian you! You broke out! Again! All right that's it. We'll tell Becky then you're coming back to sickbay with me."

I heard Becky laughing on the other side of the door. I banged my fist against the door and she cried out in surprise.

"Not funny!" She said when she finally decided to join the party.

"Did you hear what he wanted you to?" I asked her as she pulled her hair back to get ready for the night shift.

"Uh-huh."

"So… you eavesdrop often?" I asked her out of the blue.

"Only when I'm bored and when you two are alone." She sounded serious, but I learned over time she had horrible sarcasm.

I tsked her. "Well I'll see you on the bridge. I have to take this jailbird back to his nice comfortable prison cell." Chekov sighed. I elbowed him.

"Wait." Becky left the room to retrieve something. When she returned she had a wicked evil grin, the item hidden from our view.

"Now… I know you're still kind of in bad shape," She started toward Chekov, "But I have something any Russian in space would totally die for."

Becky pulled the bottle of clear liquid from behind her back.

I had to hold Chekov back from Becky and the bottle of vodka.

"Vhat are you getting at?" He asked after he stopped struggling to take it. Anyone would have guessed from the way Becky smiled she wanted something in return.

"A bet." If possible, her smile widened. I sighed loudly. I was great at poker but horrible when it came to this kind of chance.

"I bet you this bottle of Vodka that you can't go a week without complaining about being stuck in Sickbay."

"Deal."

"And if you lose?"

"I don't know." He said.

"How about… you say the rumor I started was true and you're dating Jenny." Becky suggested.

"Fine—."

"_WHAT?"_ I screeched. "Why'd you always have to bring me into this?" I asked Becky angrily.

"Don't vorry. I von't lose."

"Whatever… Come on." I dragged him by the arm down to the last place he would ever want to go, and the last place he would be able to complain about.

About five hours after Becky's shift had started, it was time for me to be on the Bridge. Yippee. Not that I didn't like what I did. I loved being a Navigator. It's just that the Captain was always hitting on the women on the Bridge. I mean, honestly, wouldn't you be scared if he started chasing after a 13-year-old girl* for kicks?

Anyway the Bridge was still in a frenzy after what had happened to me the other day. They knew the person was still on board. There were security personnel all over the more deserted areas of the ship, watching for apprehensive people.

I let Riley leave for the day, taking his place.

I knew already today was going to suck.

My head was beginning to hurt as soon as I looked toward the view screen's dark luminary display. I sat slouched in my seat, ignoring Becky, who tried urgently to get my attention.

"_Psssst"_ She whispered for the fifth time.

"_What? For Gods sake Becky!"_ I hissed at her.

" You, me, and the Captain are going planet side. _He_ wanted me to tell you." She pointed at Kirk accusingly. Kirk gave us a creepy smile just like one of Academy Teachers always did. I shuddered at the thought. Meanwhile, my headache worsened slightly.

I continued running all the scanners, looking for anyone who might be out floating in space. I found nothing of course. That would be too much fun. I did pick up reading from the planet as expected. We were all little off course, so I realigned our position slightly.

"Whoa. I had totally missed that." Sulu muttered after he realized what I had fixed.

I shrugged. "Not really a big deal. Only a couple hundred kilometers off."{(A/N sounds like a lot but it isn't in space)}

"So I heard about the bet." Sulu said conversationally. I mentally slapped Becky, who I heard snickering 5 feet away.

"Yeeaaaahhh. I got pulled into it. I didn't want anything to do with it."

Sulu laughed at me.

I snorted angrily, being completely serious. "I don't understand why men are so stupid." I grumbled.

I could see the planet quite well now. It was a small tiny thing. I started getting ready to enter the planets orbit.

"Entering planets orbit… now, Captain." I said.

"Well done Ensign. You two, follow me. Spock you have the conn." Becky and I followed the Captain to the main Transporter room, where we were handed a tricorder, a phaser, a communicator, and a translator.

"Why are we going down sir?" I asked as we each stepped onto our own pads.

"Just a routine check. We've been here before." His eyes seemed to sparkle at the memory.

"Energize, Scotty."

My particles disassembled from the Transporter room and rearranged to show me—

-burned fields and smoldering masses of things I've never seen before. Immediately we all pulled out phasers.

"Eeeeek!" I squeaked when someone tackled me. I tried to scramble up and about but I couldn't seem to move against the weight holding me down.

Suddenly I felt free. I jumped up immediately, just seeing as Kirk threw a romulan over his shoulder. Two more bared down on Becky, who fought until she had gone down. I cried out in worry, trying to reach her. The two ganged up on Kirk and me. Kirk, of course, tried valiantly to keep them away. I hated the fact that Kirk thought of us women as weak. One managed to kick my legs out from under me. I landed with a gasp, losing all the air in my lungs. My arms were pulled behind me. Angrily, I blew the hair out of my face and kicked. The romulan made a funny noise and sank to his knees. I spun onto my back and with another kick knocked him over.

Kirk was still struggling with his own attacker but had it somewhat under control. I ran over to Becky, checking her pulse and making sure she was breathing.

She was out cold and had multiple cuts but was otherwise healthy.

The romulan twisted Kirk away, throwing him to the ground. For a second Kirk was still, then he jerked upright painfully. He yelled to me, "Call the _Enterprise_. Now!"

The romulan silenced Kirk with another blow.

"Enterprise! Come in. Emergency beam up!"

Just before we were whisked away, Kirk shoved the romulan back to keep him out of the transporter beam.

**Later that day...**

"So." Johnna asked me sometime later. "Is it true? You really are dating him."

I gritted my teeth and replied, "Yes." The only reason I was here in Sickbay was because of Becky and her overwhelming ability to receive injury. She had a broken rib that needed fixing. Personally, she needed to suffer for this unwanted torture she was putting me through. If only he had never taken that stupid bet. But that's Chekov for you. Besides, I think any sane Russian would kill for a good bottle of vodka. I elbowed Chekov. "Isn't that right, _dear?_"

"You bet _honey_." He leaned over to kiss me lightly on the cheek. If he had down that while we were alone I would have beat the shit out of him. Instead I kept up the charade and pretended to laugh happily.

Becky struggled to keep her own laughing in check.

"Well, _love_, I have to go work so I'll see you later." Much, much, much later, after I had locked myself in my room and had a mental breakdown. I gave him a stiff hug and walked away from all the snickering.

Chekov owed me big time.

The way people stared when I arrived on the Bridge made me wanna kill some one. Especially Kirk. He smiled like he had a dirty little secret and thought it was funny.

Damn him and his 'gotta catch um all'* attitude toward women.

By the end of my shift I wanted to smash my head off the panel in front of me.

When Chekov came to take over our station, I made a point of kissing him, right in front off Kirk just to shut him the hell up. Weren't any of the other women on the Bridge absolutely sick off him? At _all_?

The look on every ones face was that of absolute shock.

Surprising Chekov was even allowed out of Sickbay already. Oh, well.

I smiled, thinking smugly,_ That's what you get when you let your heart win* to many times. Even if they weren't human._

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okay yet another chapter up. They're were four of these little thingies, so here they are in order you saw them.

**I do not own Pokemon or Paramore. Nor do I own Chekov **** (I wish)**

*I actually did write that. I will put it up for anyone who wants to see it

*from the episode "Miri" the girl playing Miri is actually Gene Roddenberry's daughter.

*A reference to Pokemon if anyone has ever played it

*That's What You Get, a song sung by the band Paramore

Well thx and comment LLAP -\\/


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Dark Side of the Moon**

There was a meeting for department heads and people who played an important role in the entire thing that I can't even began to describe again.

The meeting consisted of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Uhura, Scotty, Chekov, Olson, Becky, me, and even Johnna. I, of course took a seat next to my 'boyfriend' and Becky sat to my left.

Kirk laid his hands on the table and leaned forward. He quietly addressed Chekov, thinking I wasn't listening and was talking to Becky. I heard him say; "You two better not let emotions get in the way." It was a quiet whisper. I knew Kirk meant nothing by it, but it stung to think I would have to choose duty over a good friend just because Kirk said so. I chuckled to myself after a brief thought.

Kirk wasn't exactly having a lasting relationship, even if this one between us two wasn't real.

Pavel gave me an odd look. A look of worry. Maybe he thought I would choose friends over my career.

He would be right.

"First and foremost, the invasion on Taliaen." Kirk sighed. "We need to find the Kinatchi which watch over the Tali. They may have some answers to why they think that the romulans are there.

"But Jim, they are shape shifters of some sort, don't you think it's possible they could have changed themselves to look like Romulans so they would take the blame?" McCoy said questioningly.

"We have talked to them. They are completely peaceful, and would never be able to do so. They can only shift into animal forms known to their planet. They would not be able to even if they wanted to." Spock said in his normal monotone.

"Of course we can try to get rid of the romulans. It seems they have no ship supplying them." Bones said. "I think I know enough about them to give some medical assistance."

Uhura put in, "We still have their language in our computer banks and the translators are all ready to go."

"It's agreed then. I assume that everyone here and about 20 security guards arranged by Olson go planet-side at 1700 hours."

"Wait" Kirk started, making us stop before we had enough time to leave. "I believe we should have discussed this problem a long time ago."

No one said anything in answer.

"This is, of course a very intriguing dilemma we have seen fit to put on ourselves. Starfleet has no objections to this mission. They _want _us to figure out the puzzle."

"Where are you goin' with this, Jim?" McCoy drawled.

"I think we should drop this."

"What?" I spoke up. "We can't just _drop_ something like this. If Starfleet wants"

"Miss Hoffmann, I'm sure you already know you can't always get what you want." Kirk gave me a look that said, be quiet. Well I wouldn't be quiet. If he could chase a stupid cloud* around I could finish this mystery.

"Captain, we need to know more about the romulans as a race. This could—"

Chekov kicked me lightly under the table, meaning, _Be quiet, I'll handle this._

But before he could handle it Bones put his two cents in. Whatever 'cents' are.

"Ya know, Jim. I think we should let um do it." Bones said. I almost started cheering.

"Please, Doctor, explain." Kirk said obviously not amused. He only called him 'doctor' when he was severely annoyed.

"Well, Jim, they're all kinda new on the ship. I don't see why we can't give them a chance to prove themselves."

Kirk was silent, wondering what he should do.

"Captain," Spock said. "If you allow them to go on with this mission, I would ask to join them, as I am also curious."

Finally Kirk said, "Fine. But Spock we really need you on the Bridge so I'll have to say to no to your request."

"Understood, Captain."

"Dismissed," Kirk told us. "Except you, Chekov." I glanced back at Pavel, with a worried look. Kirk waved me away impatiently.

This is when I really wished I had really good hearing.

"Mr. Chekov. Do you know why I wish to speak with you alone,"

"No, Keptin I do not." Chekov stated calmly looking his Captain straight in the eyes.

"You remember what I said earlier? Yes? Well, another thing about that. As of now, if you keep acting the way you are you could face some serious charges for insubordination as well as mutiny, along with Miss Hoffmann and Miss Korff."

"I am vell avare of this Keptin. I am trying to keep zhe two girls in line. It is proving quite…difficult." Chekov lied quietly.

"And before you go, Mr. Chekov," Kirk smiled evilly.

"Be careful. Women can be quite overpowering."

Chekov smirked. "I know Keptin."

"So what did he want?" I asked him eagerly. Chekov took one look at me and started laughing hysterically, something I'd never seen him do.

"What is so funny? I asked seriously wanted to know what Kirk had told him.

"Kirk told me to be 'careful'. He told me trying unsuccessfully to smother his laughter. When he finally stopped he finished saying, "He vas talking about you, vhen he told me to be careful. Said you vere 'overpowering'."

"That's probably the nicest thing Kirk has ever said about me." I muttered. "Well we should get ready. We've got about an hour before we're beaming down into a war zone."

"I can't believe Kirk wanted us to just drop the mission." Becky said from her room loud enough so I could hear her from her room.

"I know. He gets way more obsessed about stuff then any of us." I walked into her room. "You ready?"

"Now or never" She said with faked sarcasm. She looked anxious and ready to go with her hair tied back and her eyes shifting over everything like this would be the last time she saw any of it.

"Lets go then. Were right on time." I said after looking at my old watch I had put on for luck. I also had retrieved my lucky pencil and had it hidden behind my belt.

When we reached the transporter room everyone was quiet, and everyone kept shifting around from one foot to the other, not really ready for what would come. I noticed with a small smile that Sulu was equipped with his rapier along with Johnna who had one as well.

Chekov came to stand over by me. I took his hand, but not cause I was trying to keep up the pretense that we were going out.

While phasers were being handed out, along with extra charge packs, I whispered to Chekov, "What if this time we don't come back? What if Bones can't save us when we get hurt." I was going to make myself depressed. "Even worse," I started, suddenly terrified, "What if you two die and I somehow survive. How would I live with that?" I shuddered.

"Ve'll survive this. Don't make such a big deal out of all this. Besides," He said solemnly "At least ve're not vearing red." That made me smile again, and then Kirk started talking.

"Starfleet has agreed that this is the only course of action. We are certain that this will not be an act of war as the planet is Federation territory and these romulans seem to have no connection to the Romulan Empire. I have managed to talk to one of the few surviving Kinatchi, according to him, this is only the act of a single group that that roughly translates into 'Burning Fate.'"

Kirk continued by saying. "There are approximately a hundred of them. I want everyone to come back. I don't want any fatalities or injuries. You all can achieve something that simple. Be careful."

We heard the shrill sound of the transporter being activated and we reappeared on the surface.

We all immediately scrambled when the green blast of weapons used by romulans greeted us. I dived behind a rock, and set my phaser to kill. I didn't like killing, but after everything that these people had done to my friends, they weren't getting any mercy from me.

I had downed maybe two of them before I heard another shrill sound of the transporter.

It was T'Shan.

I tried to warn him. I tried to cry out to Pavel, tried to tell him look out that the traitor was behind him with a dagger. He turned around, but not in time to stop her.

T'Shan buried the dagger up too the hilt in between his ribs, and broke off the blade. Chekov fell, downed by the pain.

"No!" I cried out uselessly. I took the seconds my phaser to stun, and shot her full of the beam. I would kill her later, if the captain permitted me or not.

I ran to him, already afraid that he would be gone by the time I got there. He was holding on. Barely.

"Come on." I said taking his hand. "Don't you dare die." I pulled out my communicator out, set it on planet wide frequencies.

"I need a medic right now. We have a lethal injury."

My voice was starting to crack.

"What are your coordinates?" Johnna asked.

I gave her our coordinates, then she asked, "Who is it? Becky?"

"No…" I told her miserably. "It's Pavel." I forced back the tears.

She was silent for a moment. "I'll be right there."

By the time she arrived I was maybe ten seconds away from sobbing.

"We might get hit in cross fire." Johnna said

"We can't risk moving him, he's not stable." I whispered barely even there. I was floating around in my mind, trying to swim to a corner so I wouldn't drown in my own thoughts.

After briefly checking his pulse, took breathed deep. "He needs to see McCoy. I can't help here."

"Graham to _Enterprise_."

"_Enterprise here._"

"Four to beam up. We've found T'Shan and she's tried to kill Chekov. He needs Medical assistance now that we can't give him here."

"Copy that ensign. Get ready for beam up."

Just before the transporter took hold on us, Chekov whispered, "I love you."

I squeezed his hand. He wasn't just saying that. He meant it.

"I love you too." I told him.

When we reappeared on the ship, two security guards immediately took T'Shan. Bones was there with several nurses. They took Chekov away. When I tried to follow them, held on my arm and wouldn't let me go.

"Let me go!" I yelled, squirming weakly against her hold.

"We have to go back down there."

"Why? They don't need us to—"

"Becky's down there."

That was the only thing that would bring me back down there. The place where those bastards couldn't leave the Federation well enough alone. The place where my friends we're dying for a cause we had pledged to.

The place where I never wanted to go.

I didn't see the romulan who managed to hit me. I felt the burn of his concentrated fire, and I fell to the ground, paralyzed by pain. I tried shooting from my prone position, sniping those who sniped from higher, better positions, laughing demonically when I got one.

I don't know how many more I killed that day, if any. I was off in my mind, the one place they wouldn't be able to reach me.

_In my mind I was just a tiny particle, a drop of paint on the canvas of the universe. Just then Becky appeared in my minds eye. Maybe she was actually, physically there. I don't know. In her hand was an old toy, a rubix cube._

_ 'Jenny.'_

_ 'What?' I said my voice soft and shaking with pure fear._

_ 'If you smash the cube, is the puzzle solved?'_

_ 'What? I don't know.' I said miserable beyond belief. Chekov might be dying and she wants me to play 20 questions?_

_ 'Sometimes you just have to remember math. Everything is fair. You know, the distributive property. The _**commutative** _property.'_

_ 'What are you talking about? This doesn't make sense.'_

_ 'Jenny' She whispered._

_ Someone new appeared. It was Gregory House, a person that never existed, never would, no matter how much I would wish on a fallen star._

_ 'She's right you know.' He told me._

_ 'Sure. Neither of you are here.' _

_ 'We are here because you are here. We are another incarnation of you.'_

_ 'What's it matter? It's not like you can tell me anything I don't know.' A pillow appeared in front of me. I grabbed it, shoved it up to my face, and screamed._

_ 'There is more than one way to solve that puzzle.'_

_House said, pointing to the stupid colored cube._

_ 'They give you everything you need to solve it.'_

_He continued, '_**Your**_ missing the big picture.'_

_ Finally, I screamed at him, 'What am I supposed to do? Peel off all the stickers and rearrange them?'_

_ He smiled. 'Exactly.' He snapped his fingers._

I gasped, awakened by the pure adrenaline that streamed through my system.

I was in Sickbay. Of all places.

I held my wound as white-hot pain lanced through my side sending waves of nausea rolling through. I stood unsteadily, waiting for someone to notice me.

Johnna hurried over and shone a penlight in my eyes. I continued staring forward, to the bed across from mine. It was still occupied, but someone who was there wasn't breathing.

My heart started beating even faster and my blood pressure rose beyond safe levels. I didn't need to look under the sheet to know who it was. Beside the bed was the remains of a broken blade.

Pavel was gone. Forever.

I collapsed to the cold floor, Johnna struggling to help me. I cried there on the floor until someone lifted me up and put me back on the bed, until someone administered a hypo of sedative.

"Who told her?" I heard someone say in the distance, probably McCoy.

"I didn't have to, sir" I heard Johnna say quietly. Seeing me like this was killing her.

"She knew. She always knows."

The hypo they gave me didn't work. Adrenaline still flowed heavily in my veins, My heart refused to slow down, even after it had been broken.

So they gave me another shot, this one to slow down my heart. I could feel it work. I felt only one throb of pain at a time instead of stab after stab of pure agony without so much as a pause in between.

They gave me another hypo, another sedative. This time god decided to be merciful on me and let it work.

_Pavel is gone. Gone forever and he isn't coming back. Not this time._

'_I'll see you on the dark side of the moon…'_


	10. Chapter 10

Alright I kno you guys are all like WTF just happened! But stick with it cus have no fear O'riley is here! Lol bad joke. But still don't think you've seen zhe last of our imperial majesty The Czar of all Russia's, Pavel Andreievich!

**Chapter 10: Echoes of Death**

"The only constant in this world seems to be the world itself. I can't change that. No one can. I may not believe in god but I do believe in Fate." I took a shaky breath. Quite aware that tears had begun to stream down my face, I continued, "I'm not afraid of death. I'm afraid of what happens in life. I know he's not coming back, and I can accept it, happily, knowing he's not going to suffer where he is. I miss him so much already. I know everyone does. I only know realize I really love him. Those were his final words to me. 'I love you.'"

I closed my eyes for a second, feeling rather faint.

"So I'm glad all of you came. Even if you didn't know him."

I stepped down, unable to think clearly anymore and walked away, the last notes of 'Amazing Grace' ringing in my head.

It seemed cruel that I was now able to see Russia, under such circumstances. I barely saw anything in front of me.

Seeing Pavels parents is what really killed me. They were so quiet. When his mother saw me, she came to me and gave me a hug, something my own mother probably wouldn't have done.

"He was waiting you know," His father Andrei had told me earlier that day. His accent was on there in the form of a ghost, showing he had lost it throughout their various travels. "He knew you loved him but he was waiting for you to realize it. Once you did, he was going to propose." That made me cry. To make it worse/better (because I just couldn't differentiate anymore) He handed me a beautiful ring, with a small starburst diamond surrounded by beautiful sapphires in a seemingly endless twirl of pretty blues and purples.

I smiled for a brief minute, slipping the ring on my ring finger. I considered myself a widow.

So now I walked the empty streets of St. Petersburg alone, looking at my ring in the light and wishing he had asked. I had never really considered marriage. In Star Fleet such a thing seemed so unimportant, so impossible.

_It seemed I was suddenly thrown back into the whirlwind wind of my thoughts. I saw the fight again. The battle that had taken the one I loved. I saw him get hurt, felt it the dagger pierce my own skin felt the pain as if I was the one who had bled to death from the wound. I screamed, but no sound came. I was silenced._

I woke in darkness. There were people around me, as I could hear them breath. I felt pressure on my neck. Someone was taking my pulse.

"I think she's awake," I heard Becky whisper.

"Why can't I move?" I asked.

"I don't know…" McCoy answered somewhere above me. The shrill sound of the medical tricorder made me think, _does he carry that everywhere? _ Apparently he did.

"Damn." McCoy said under his breath.

"I'm cold." I whispered, racked by the cool air of Russia in fall. Several people piled jackets on me. I still didn't warm up. I felt like someone had thrown ice water on me.

I felt someone pick me up. I couldn't struggle. I knew it was Kirk; he always did things like this.

"I'm fine…put me down." I said struggling to breath. The air felt like solid ice in my lungs.

"No, you're not. We found you passed out in the snow. You haven't been eating have you?" He asked.

"No. Not at all." I had been drinking though. A lot. Once or twice I almost felt so bad I considered seeing the doctor. I didn't though. I wanted to suffer.

"Mild heart attack. Probably caused by stress." McCoy sighed. "You're coming back to the ship. I'm gonna have to monitor you for a while, make sure this doesn't happen again."

"I feel funny." Before anyone could even anticipate it I blacked out again.

I woke again in Sickbay. Becky sat beside me, holding my left hand up to her eyes as she studied my ring.

I pulled my hand from her grip weakly.

"Hey. You're awake!" She exclaimed. I winced.

"Not so loud…"

"Sorry." She called McCoy in.

He checked my eyes and asked me to wiggle my toes and fingers. He seemed satisfied.

"What happened?" I asked. I yawned loudly.

"Nothing much. You just passed out from exhaustion is all."

"He lightly touched my finger tips with a pin, asking if I could feel it. I could. He also noticed my ring and asked quietly, "Were you engaged?"

"Yes." I told him. I didn't consider it a lie. My eyes were dried up. I couldn't cry anymore. I wouldn't cry. Not about that.

One week later…

Becky knocked lightly on my door. "Hey…"

"Hi." I said barely audible.

"Look, I'm cut right to the chase. I don't think you should leave."

"I can't do this anymore, okay? I'm sick of all this… I'm surrounded by _him._"

I sighed shakily, touching the ring his father had given me. "I'm going back to Earth. I'll do something simple. I'll just be an artist teacher like my mom wanted."

"Wait. I know this sounds stupid but, you really need to talk about this."

"I'm leaving that's final—."

"Not that."

I knew what she meant. So I told her about him. About everything I knew of him, his home, his life. Everything.

_And that's when I realized._

There's more then one way to solve a puzzle. I just had to rearrange the stickers.

I got up, and unburied an old file on my PADD.

'_The Kinatchi are creatures that exist on all seven planes and in all time periods,'_

I read from the debriefing file.

"Becky. Your dad. He was an Ambassador right? What was he working on before he was killed?"

"I don't know… it was something about trade routes. They were talking about away to get to the planet the Vulcans were re-colonizing without passing through… the romulan borders…" Becky gasped.

You think that they killed my father so he wouldn't come up with a solution?"

"No," I said, a giant headache beginning to form. "They killed him because he knew that T'Shan wasn't a Vulcan. They killed him because he knew the romulans had a secret…but what was the secret?"

"There must be something…" I brought up a small display of the quadrant in space onto my PADD.

"I remember my dad telling me lots of weird things happened when he was away."

"Like what?"

"They had to do a lot of detours because there were a lot of romulans patrolling."

I continued, looking for a large enough space that could hide a planet a star, a ship, anything.

"Bingo."

I rubbed my temples harshly, trying to make the sharp throb disappear.

"We need to go here."

Becky was silent while she studied the coordinates. "If I can convince Kirk this is where we need to go will you promise not to resign?"

I twirled the ring on my finger. "Yes." I sighed. "I gotta get ready. My shift starts in 10 minutes."

"I thought you wanted to take off a month?" Becky asked as she got up and walked to the door.

I shook my head. "Why bother? It's better if I keep distracted."

I got ready slowly, thinking most of the time. In fact it was a second before I noticed I had my right boot on my left foot. I switched it, and walked out the door, just on time. I didn't bother putting my hair up. This way if I started to cry on the Bridge I could easily hide my face.

I had maybe 2 minutes to go to Sickbay to get something for my headache, then I would late any time after that.

"I need something for my headache. Quick." I told McCoy, tapping my foot against the floor, anxious to get out of here. Not because I didn't want to be late, more like because I couldn't stand being in a place like this so soon after…

"Didn't think you were gonna go back to work so soon." He drawled, taking his dandy time getting the pill.

"It's better than moping in a corner, cutting my wrists," I retorted. My headache made me rather touchy; I wasn't in the mood for this.

"I agree." He handed me two of the small white tablets and a cup of water.

I took them, drained the water, said my quick thanks and jogged up to the Bridge.

I tried to steady my breathing as the turbo lift took me up, trying to make it look like I wasn't hurrying.

Kirk was the only one to glance back at me when I came in. He smiled. "You're late." I smiled back for a second; thankful he was acting like everything was normal.

I let Riley go for the day, still pained by memories that had included Pavel, and me like the first day we had met.

"_Let's start from zhe top."_

_ "The top of what?" I said feigning confusion._

"_Name?" He had asked._

_ "My name?" I asked, playing with him now._

_ "No my name,"_

_ "I don't know your name." I told him. I hadn't at that point._

_ "Start playing games vith me miss and you're through," He said getting more then a bit frustrated._

_ "Really?" I said excitedly. "May I go now?" I asked._

When I came back to reality, I was smiling.

_()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()_

OOOOkay! Never thought that this story would be so long! Anyway I was at my friends house the other day and she started telling this awesome trek story! She doesn't think its that great but I think this is the kind of story you people would like ! comment! If we get at least 3 or more requests I'll bother her until she lets me put it up! LLAP! Thnx to those who comment and those who don't please do! -\\/ (lol she'll kill me for putting this up! Snicker,snicker,teehee) : p


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Mercy Street**

"Captain." Becky said.

"Yes Miss Korff?" Kirk said, smiling like he would right before trying to hit on her.

Becky shivered at the thought.

"We need to go here." She said blandly, showing Kirk the coordinates.

The day before, Becky had to convince Uhura to fake a message from Starfleet, saying that we were to scout this area. Out of pity for Jenny's sake, and her overwhelming ability to be somehow right, she did so.

"I know Miss Korff. I seemed to have forgotten though."

Kirk looked over at Navigations, seeing the day dreaming officer who sat there. He was surprised to see her smiling.

"Miss Hoffmann?"

I finally realized that Kirk was talking to me. I spun around in my seat. "Yes, sir?"

"Change course to these coordinates please."

He handed me the PADD that had the coordinates on it. I didn't have to look at it to know what they were.

I smiled at him, which he returned with a creeper smirk. "Aye, sir."

'_Your inability to let things go is surprising, even to me. And I know everything.' House said in my mind._

_ 'Yeah right.'_

_ He shrugged, playing with the giant tennis ball he always had sitting on his desk._

_ 'Is this gonna happen often?' I asked him._

_ 'What?' He asked, like he didn't already know._

_ 'This. The hallucination that you're here.'_

_ House faked a frown. 'That's not very nice. It's almost like you don't want me helping you.'_

_ I tried to keep it cool. 'How are you helping anything? I'm still trying to get over the fact that—.'_

_ 'The fact that the only guy you've ever really liked is dead and it's all your fault?' _

_ 'Don't judge me! There was nothing I could do!' I screamed at him._

_ 'Alas. Where you have gone wrong. You believe there _was_ nothing you _could _do.'_

_ I had to let him explain. If there was even a chance that I could fix this…_

_He twirled his cane in one hand. 'You refuse to see the possibilities. You ignore the clues that surround you. You convince yourself of a lie.' He smiled. "Unlike most humans, you discard the past easily. In doing so you may have just locked the door and thrown away the key.'_

I opened my eyes slowly, and found to my disdain, I was still on the Bridge. I glanced around, trying to see if anyone had noticed. Becky was looking right at me, a question clear in her eyes. She wanted to know if I was okay. I smiled at her for a second and then stared at the view screen, concentrating on the constellations as they flew past.

It seemed so odd. Hallucinating that is. Probably wasn't a good thing either, I could really blame my drinking problem on that.

Not that my drinking was a problem. I drink, I get drunk, and I fall on the floor.

No problem.

I looked briefly at a small clock at my station, noting that I had maybe ten minutes before someone would come up and let me go.

That was odd. Time really was flying

So, to pass the time I just put in some headphones and listened to some classical music. It was a coincidence that most of the composers were Russian, but it still bothered me, so I changed it to George Winston.

Riley came right on time, down to the last second in fact.

I was surprised to see someone when I turned on the lights on in my room

There, standing in the middle of my room was an odd creature.

What looked like a black tiger cub with wings and was probably the size of full-grown panther, sat licking its paws. When it noticed me, its fur rippled and changed color to a light gray. It's eyes, a shocking florescent blue, locked onto me.

_I need your help._ I heard a quiet voice tell me. It continued, saying_, and you need mine._

"What do you mean?" I asked slowly, unsure of what it wanted. It looked liable to strike out if I made a wrong move.

_You have met with one of my kind before, though you saw her in a form you consider more humanoid._ I could easily tell she was female, for she was extremely kind.

Most would agree that men normally lack that. Also, her voice was higher pitched.

"How can you communicate with me?"

_Where as I speak in your mind you understand because in your thoughts you speak no true language, so you understand me. I am a higher creature. I live on all planes and in past present and future. I have learned your language easily enough._

The creatures' fur changed again, this time to a deep blue. A small growl emanated from within her throat, showing that she grew impatient. She uncrossed her paws and stood.

"I think I know who you're talking about. The one who attacked me, after I left Sickbay."

_Not attack. Warn. She was trying to warn you get away. _ The creature shook her head._ You humans always seem to walk toward problems, even the ones you can't fix. _

"What is it you want me to help you with?" I asked her, marveling at the way her fur shimmered and changed as she explained.

_The place you're heading to is the base of Burning Fate._ _They have taken Micalsonsiasha. No doubt they are trying to force her to their will._

"What do they want?"

_They wish to change something they had done in the past. I do not know what though, but surely not for any reason of good. _

"You want me to try and find her?"

_Not alone. I will help you._

"But—."

At that moment Becky walked into my room. The lights flicked off, hopefully before Becky saw the telepathic creature sitting in the middle of my room.

"What are you doing?" She told the lights to come back on.

Where the creature had been sitting before was now a little tribble.

I squeaked without warning, surprised by the sudden shape shift.

"Where'd you get a tribble?" She asked suspiciously, picking her up gently and looking at her. As if on cue, she started purring.

I lied on command. "I've had her for a while."

"How do you even know it's a her?"

I shrugged. "I dunno, just seems that nothing that's that cute is ever a he*."

"Wellll, McCoy wanted me to check and make sure you were okay."

"Yeah."

"You want to come down to the mess with me? Don't think I've seen you eat in a while," She offered, obviously hopeful I would agree

"Err…. I can't. I gotta clean my room." It was true. I hadn't cleaned it in a while and stuff was starting to pile up in corners.

Disappointment was clear on her face as she said okay and left.

The creature morphed back into her previous form.

_We shall arrive in approximately an hour. Will you help?_

"Wait. You said that I needed you. What do you mean?"

_We are going to fix the time line. When we do so, the one you grief so badly will once again be alive._

No one was supposed to be going to the planet the Romulan used as a base. I was already breaking multiple protocols by doing so.

The thing about time travel is though, you can be anywhere at any time, if you have the ability to do it, or have someone who will do it for you.

We arrived in front of the prisoner ward, ten minutes before the ship would have even been in transporting range. That meant I disappeared off the ship, some time after Becky had checked on me.

_Worry not. They cannot see or hear you._

_ Why not?_ I asked finally talking to her in my head

_We are on a different plane. You humanoids only live on the first of the seven._

_ Fascinating._ I heard myself think. Things were mostly the same, but some other creatures, ones we couldn't normally see often floated about, never giving their location a second thought. And I knew cause I could hear them. It was so weird, knowing and hearing the thoughts of everything and anything… It was almost overwhelming.

_Concentrate._ She told me.

_What's your name?_ I asked, curiously, as we walked through hallway after hallway.

She seemed unsure what to tell me.

_My name is hard to pronounce in your language, but you can call me whatever you wish._

_ Hmmmm. What would be a good name for you…How about…Elvira?_

Elvira seemed to shrug, which was kind of odd looking for a cat with wings.

An angry spout of romulan dialect interrupted us.

_They know we're here!_ Elvira hissed. She started to run fiercely, and after a moment of hesitation, I followed.

_How'd they see us?_ I asked fearfully.

_As in most races, some are born with a small ability to see what most cannot. They were lucky._

We continued running through the halls, now visible on all planes.

_Here_ She said, turning sharply to one detention cell. I quickly disengaged the force field. There she was.Micalsonsiasha sat in a wolf form, one leg shackled to the wall. The shackles disappeared along with force field.

I shot at the many romulans, whom were trying to stop us.

I cried out when one of there shots hit me heavily on the shoulder, making me stumble.

"Anytime now!" I yelled, quickly running out of charge for my phaser, and also losing a lot of blood as well.

_There are more complicated bonds holding her here, we need more time to—_

We don't have time! We have to go now!" I practically screamed.

_Hold on. _ She told me. I grabbed a fistful of soft fur and the scene changed—

The _Enterprise. _We were home again. We were back in my room. I could still feel the injury I had received.

Elvira sensed my thoughts, and said in a bemused tone._ Even we have limits._

I flipped open my communicator, and called Becky, even though her room was right across from mine. I would never be able to make it over there.

"Jenny?" She asked.

"I need a medic," I said. I fell to the floor weakly.

I heard her briefly calling for help, but took no notice of it. I was floating. Elvira sat next to me, and curled into a ball by my side, now in the form of a gray wolf. Micalsonsiasha changed into a tribble very similar to the one Elvira had been earlier.

I passed out before anything else happened.

The next time I woke, it was in the blinding whiteness of Sickbay. My shoulder felt stiff and useless. McCoy hovered somewhere nearby, muttering to himself about something in my vitals.

I could feel the weight of the cat that sat next to me. Elvira had changed into a pure black cat with piercing green eyes. She stared at me with mild interest.

"I see you're awake." McCoy grumbled.

I had only a second to think, _Well, here we go again._

It seems I've had to explain a lot lately. They believed me, but simply because they had no other choice.

_Think of an animal from your planet._ Elvira thought toward me, after they had let me to sit there and listen while they contemplated.

_Why?_ I asked. The first thing that came to mind was a parrot.

Elvira changed into the same exact parrot I had imagined. Oh. She wanted some different forms to change into.

"What are we going to do with you?" Kirk sighed.

I shrugged, feeling defiant. Then my head started to swim.

"Whoa," I muttered. McCoy flashed a pen light in my eyes, looking at my pupils.

I breathed deeply, trying to get oxygen into my blood. It was becoming harder with each intake of air.

Not getting enough oxygen. Your pupils are barely there…" McCoy muttered. He walked away quickly to a stock room and came back with a hypo. He gave me the shot and then frowned.

"The time travel must've messed you up. That should've worked." He said quietly. While it eased my harsh breathing slightly, I still felt like Darth Vader was force choking me because I failed him for the last time.

McCoy ran off again, but I didn't see where too. My mind was going fuzzy and dots swam in front of my eyes… another shot slammed me back to reality. Gotta love cordizone.

"Why…?" Kirk asked, so obviously competent.

"Where ever your Kinatchi friend took you," He said directed at me, but answering Kirk at the same time, "You don't want to go again. If that happens again you come to me. You black out, you die."

"Can you fix the time line?" I asked Elvira and the other Kinatchi who's name seemed impossible to say.

"We do not know what we need to fix." The one beside Elvira said, now a small pterodactyl looking thing.

"Can I just call you Mic?" I asked. Her name was such a mouthful.

She seemed amused by the prospect. _Certainly. It matters not_.

I let out a long breath, and said with careful words, "I need to know what you were trying to do. The night you were on the _Enterprise."_

_ I was trying to warn you._

_ Warn me about what? _ I asked finally talking in my mind

_ The attack the romulans would have on our people. I tried several times to tell people. Burning Fate has been planning this for a long time. They need us in order to fix something._

_ Weren't you there long enough to figure out what they wanted?_

_ Time has little meaning to us, but yes I figured out something._

_ Someone they killed had knowledge about wars between them and the Vulcans._

_Something I had told him, in return for telling Starfleet of the impending attack upon our people._ She shook her head. _The small piece of the information he had, somehow got to Burning Fate, but not until after he had been killed deemed to important an adversary to the Federation._

I put that in the back of my head for later.

_But what did you mean other times? It sounds like you have tried more than twice to get the point across._

Mic changed form again into a familiar face. The Romulan Goddess.

_This is one of my better shifts, but the Vulcan was the best. It took me a long time to master these two forms, and I can travel to the future._ A small smile lit her face. _When you came to that planet, I knew you were closer to solving the mystery than all the Kinatchi combined._ She changed back._ That was the first time I had ever witnessed love. I saw the way he looked at you. Saw how oblivious you were while it was obvious to everyone else there._

_ But how was the planet involved with this?_ Iasked incredulously_. _

_ The planet was once a romulan colony that had survived the war. They had believed in the goddess so it was the form I took. They went there shortly before they went to Romulus and Remus._

_ So that was you…_ I mused to myself.

_Yes._

I only had one more question. _ What was the name of the person you told the romulan secret?_

My breathing suddenly shortened as my heartbeat quickened, forcing blood without oxygen through my body. I pressed the comm. button to medical three times in succession. Right before McCoy ran in I heard Mic say quietly,

_It was Rebecca Korff's father._


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter12: Burning Fate**

The way time travel affected mewasn't all that great.

The way Spock explained it was,"Your body has gone forward and back through time. You progressed and digressedwithin a short period of time. If humans were meant for time travel that theKinatchi constantly achieve, then it's likely we would have destroyed ourselveslong ago."

This meant I had to stay confined inSickbay while McCoy tried to figure out someway to let me out of his sight formore then ten minutes.

Oh the joy of sitting in the placewhere Pavel had died, while millions of memories threw themselves against thebarriers of my mind like a tidal wave. The kind of tidal wave that destroys halfthe planet.

I stared at the ceiling, conversingsilently with Mic and Elvira, contemplating what action we should take. Ipressed my palms against my eyes. McCoy looked at me, worried I was havinganother attack.

"Just a headache." I told himmiserably.

_I can feel it too. That's morethan a headache. More like a migraine._Elvira said. Since when was she adoctor?

"You want something for it?" Heasked. The person he was currently patching up was actually Becky. The idiotfell and broke her arm. Scotty had insisted on carrying her down, just in caseshe would try for a big detour. A.K.A. not go at all.

"Yeah sure. Can't you give me asedative? I want to sleep for a while." I said truthfully. Sleeping was the onlyway I could really see Pavel again. I missed him so much. Now I always eatbefore I sleep, hoping he'll appear in my dreams that night.

_You'll see him again._

_When?_I asked, knowing shecouldn't answer.

"I can give you one but it's kind ofrisky. Don't know how it'll react, or if it'll send you into one of thoseseizures."

I gave him the same puppy dog eyesChekov always gave me when he wanted me to do something insane.

"Fine. But someone will have towatch and make sure nothing happens."

"I will." Becky said. Raising hergood arm above her head like a little kid who wanted to volunteer for agame.

_We shall sit watch to. We willcatch you if you fall through the void._Mic said, projecting the thoughtaround the room, similar to what betazoids do with emotions.

McCoy gave me the shot and I was outlike a birthday candle.

_'I miss you.' I whispered to were on the Bridge, all alone, the entire crew just gone._

_'I know.' He gave me a lopsidedgrin. 'The only thing I want in heawen I can't have. You're the only missingangel.'_

_I laughed at his intentionally badpick up lines, thinking, Back in the old days; me and Becky would've laughed inhis face so hard our faces would've turned purple, would've told him that we hadsomething to do every night he asked, would've refused to go on so much as adate with him. And we would be completely happy with that. I wasn't so sure anymore, what I wanted._

_'You're wery quiet.' He told me,worry clear in his voice. 'Normally you have wery much to tell me.' He pushedhair away from my face, and made me look him right in the eyes._

_'I can't do this forever you know.'I told him softly._

_'Vhat vould zhat be?'_

_My lip trembled, tears threateningto fall in a frenzied storm of grief. ' I'm dreaming. I know I am. And everytime I wake up, I think for a second that were still alive. Then I remember…Iremember that you're not just on a recon mission. You're not just up on theBridge waiting for me. You're not in you're room reading a book. You're you're not coming back. No matter how much those Kinatchi think they can fixit.'_

_'You're wrong. I vill come back. AndI will see you again.' He said firmly._

_We were silent for a long minuet andthen I asked, "Can you tell me any good Russian bed time stories?'_

_He grinned. 'Of course. So therevere these odd creatures zhat looked like grape jelly and…_

I woke up some time latethe next day, and wasn't surprised to see Elvira looking at me with questioningeyes.

_That was him wasn'tit?_

I hesitated for a meremoment._Yes. He was._ Iemphasized the 'was.'

She said nothing. Were as heremotions were normally unperceivable behind a brick wall in her mind, now Icould clearly feel the sorrow she felt for me.

_I know what we need to fix._Mic stated, a small kitten like creature with webbed feet and sleek whitefeathers.

I glanced at her.

_What do we need todo?_

She gave us the plan, a complex ideathat probably took days to think up.

When no one was looking I sneakedout of Sickbay. I ran to my room, changing from the sickbay gown into somethingmore bad ass. Okay, so maybe our Starfleet uniforms weren't really bad ass but Idon't exactly have any black leather. I strapped a phaser on my belt; along withsomethrowing knives I borrowed (took)from Becky's room.

_Are you ready to fix this?_Elvira asked, now a doe.

_Never. But lets do this._ I replied, just longing to see Pavel again andtell him I was sorry. Don't even know why I was sorry, but I was.

The room seemed to spin and then there we were. In a giant building inthe big city of Shikahr once more, a place that we visited not so long ago butfelt like forever.

Not to far away I saw the likes of T'Shan,along with Becky's father and little Becky, only about ten at thetime.

_Do they know we're here?_I asked.

_They see us, yes._ Elviraturned into a much less noticeable bird and flew up to the rafters.

_Whatis it we need to do?_I asked.

_We are going to go back to Burning Fate's base and kill their are not coming with us though. You are going to stay here and find anopportune chance to kill T'Shan._Mic also changed into a bird.

_When will you return?_

_We won't. Once the time line isfixed things will go back to normal._

_Howmuch time can you give me?_ I hopedI could just kill her and get it over with so I could return to myloverboy*.

I walked toward them trying to look incredibly important. When I reachedthem I said in a steely voice, "Ambassador Korff, would you mind letting meborrow T'Shan for a moment?"

"Sure, go ahead."

T'Shan didn't know me so she held the façade of being a normalVulcan.

"Are you in Starfleet?" Becky asked, tugging on the hem of myuniform.

I smiled at her withoutthinking.

"Yes."

"I want to be in Starfleet one day" She said happily.

"What are you going to be?" I asked her, still aware that T'Shan stoodoff to the side.

"I'm not sure. I like science class but I already know all thatstuff."

"Why don't you do engineering then? That's still has lots of science butthen you get to fix things."

Her eyes lit up with anticipation. "Wow I never thought of that!Thanks!"

"No problem. I'll see you in space then?" I grinned. I would mostdefinitely.

"You bet!" She beamed.

"You wished to speak?"T'Shan said blankly, once I had steered her into a noise- proofroom.

"Yes." And with that Ipulled out my phaser and fired. It missed by a foot as she scrambledaway.

She then zigzaggedacross the room toward me. I fired out of anger and grief each time, and Imissed every time.

T'Shan unsheathed thatsame dagger from a hiding spot in her boot and tried desperately to fend off myattack. She cut a jagged line across my face, and in return I did the same. Darkgreen blood trickled from the wound. She hissed and threw me to the ground withimmense strength, enough force to make my ribs crack and scream inprotest.

I rolled away when shetried to throw random objects at me._ This is almost comical._I mused, thinkingof old cartoons featuring a dueling cat and mouse. It wasn't even close tohumorous when she managed to knock me down with some weird item I can't evenrecognize.

She grabbed me by theneck and held me up easily and snarled, "Any last words you murderessscum?"

"Yeah." I gasped,reaching for my belt. "I'll see you in hell." I stabbed her two centimeterslower then that would have killed a Vulcan. That was the only difference betweenthe Vulcan's and Romulans; their hearts were two centimeters lower then aVulcan's. If I hadn't known that she probably would have survived.

She made no sound asshe fell to floor, bleeding to death. With her last breath she whispered, "Ishall meet my burning fate…" She died right were she had fallen.

Then I felt an oddpulling sensation. What? I thought that they were going to kill—

I was back on theship. I was standing in auxiliary control next to Kirk and Becky.

I noticed bleaklybefore collapsing that Becky was wearing red.

"Jenny?" Becky criedout. I gasped for air, the way I had fallen made my ribs catch on fire, likesomeone was stabbing me with a with a white hot chunk of metal and pressing itthere.

I was welcomed withcomplete darkness as I passed out.

_'What happened?' I asked Elvira inmy dreams. I'm not sure if that was really her._

'_It's me.'_

_Micala was there as well, the samewolf she was when we had found her._

_'T'Shan. She was the leader. Whenyou killed her things changed dramatically where we were.' She shook her furryhead._

_'Itwas chaos. We managed to destroy the entire force of Burning Fate, to make surethis wouldn't reform. It was… quite a task.'_ _Elvira said._

_'But wait. Becky wasn't a scienceofficer.'_

_Mic chuckled, an odd sound comingfrom a wolf. It sounded like a smoker hacking up a lung._

_'Only by your own doing. You talkedher into it about 8 years ago'._

_'Is Pavel…?'_

_Elvira smiled at me happily. 'I hopeyou invite me to the wedding if you have one.'_

_I laughed, almost jumping for joy,something impossible in my floating space dreams._

_'He's waiting for you to wake up, soget on with it.'_

"Pavel!" I screamed. I hugged him fiercely, tears streaming down myface.

He didn't know how to react other then hugging me back.

"Vhy do you seem so… distressed?"I still hadn't let him go. Peoplewere beginning to gather around us.

"I thought I would never see you again! I am so sorry… sosorry."

"I vas never gone. And vhy are you sorry?"

I stared into his eyes. "Because I never told you I lovedyou."

His eyes sparkled. "I love you too." He said. I wasn't an empathy butanyone could have been able to feel the love that emanated from us. For a longmoment we just stared into the others' eyes, waiting for the someone to make amove.

"Just kiss already!" McCoy barked.

I could hear Becky laughing uncontrollably as he kissed me, wonderingwhat she would say if we had kids. She'd probably die of extreme laughter anddisbelief.

I guess word somehow got to my mother that I was getting married. I'mguessing that either Pavel's parents called her or Pavel himselfdid.

Either way she berated me for not telling her in person, not waiting tilI was older to get married. I had to remind her that in Starfleet I could dietomorrow. We weren't going to wait if that was almost entirely to likely. Shealso yelled at me because I never introduced her to Pavel. So Idid.

She couldn't stand him.

Don't know why but she flat out wouldn't talk to him after he said, "Izee you do not get your looks from your mozher."

I thought it was funny but hey that's just me.

Anyway it probably wasn't the best idea to go dress shopping with Beckyof all people.

"I_hate_dresses." She moaned. "With a_passion._"

"Then I guess your shit out of luck when you get married." I said,scrolling through the list of dresses the computer could create.

She snorted. "I am_never ever_getting married."

"Whatever. You need to pick out your dress to though. You're gonna be aBride's maid."

"But I'm doing the music!" She whined.

"You can do both. You'll just stand next to me and playcello."

Have you ever played cello with a dress on? No? Well it's really annoying."

"Then pick out a mermaid dress. That should help."

She argued that she didn't want to be a mermaid. Dammit man, she's anengineer not a fish!

I laughed at her and her major attitude toward this entirething.

"Oooh I like this one." I toldher. I made the image larger so she could see it.

"It's okay but I wouldn't be caught dead in it."

The replicator whirred into action and created the pretty dress in aninstant.

"Ya think he'll like it?" I asked Becky after I put it on. It was whitewith a simple yet intricate design that flowed softly around the seams and atrain that followed behind me.

She was busy looking at the PADD with information about the dress on didn't even look up.

"Most defiantly." Becky finally glanced at me. "It was designed by aRussian."

I laughed hysterically. "All right. Your turn smart ass."

Becky grimaced, seeming terrified by the prospect.

"And remember, what you pick is what Johnna, Shyana, and Uhura have towear as well so nothing ugly. Or some outrageous color." Shyana was a friend Imet in the fixed reality. Since Becky wasn't a science officer, Shyana had takenher place. I had gotten to know her very well. I had many new memories of thecorrected world that I had yet to think about.

"Awwww. What about red?"

I thought for a moment. "I guess so, but if one of you dies I blameyou.

She ended up picking out a simple red mermaid style, which she deemedwould be less annoying when she played her cello.

"Put it on."

"Come on. Seriously?" She whined again.

"Nope, just kidding. Make sure you get everyone else's stuff too and makesure Pavel doesn't see any of it."

"Nothing?"

"Not even a speck of confetti." I told her seriously. I had the entirewedding to plan, and only Becky and her mom were helping me with it. Becky's momwas one of those people who wants to help everyone with everything. Even iftheir in space about three light years away.

"I gotta fly; my shift starts soon." When I left her in her room, she wasstill muttering about what a stupid concept marriage was.

On the bridge was of course my loverboy. I was a minute or two early sowe talked for a while.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

I shrugged. "My ribs are still kinda sore but I'll live. Andyou?"

"Just vondering if ve have a planned date for zhe vedding."

"Tomorrow."

He blinked at me. "Okay. I have much to do then." He started going overthings in his head. "Many t'ings to do." He said. He poked Sulu. "You're my bestman, okay?"

Sulu stared. "Me?" He squeaked, something he had never donebefore.

I laughed to myself.

"All right Pavel. You better get ready. See you at the alter." I kissedhim goodbye, grinning when Kirk sighed behind me.

Now he can add me to the list of girls on the ship he's never dated! Betme and Becky are ones on it.

I hummed at my station, content with my lot in life._I'm gettingmarried_I sung in my head gleefully.

McCoy stepped on the Bridge and stood next to Kirk. "You ready for this,Jim? It's been a while since you've married two people and I doubt they'dforgive you if you messed up."

"Never, ever, Captain." I said cheerfully.

"Anyway, I need to borrow your Navigator."

"What for?" I asked, already switching power from my consol over toSulu.

"Physical."

I grimaced. "Again?"

"Just to make sure your healing right."

" 'Kay let's go."

I was surprised that there were no problems, no sign that I ever had orwill have any more of those weird seizures. I was glad, but truthfully I wouldreally miss Elvira and Mic. They couldn't stay for long.

_We are like the Guardian of Forever. There is no way we can stay. Wehave much work to do to keep our planet safe, never mind yours._Mic hadexplained the day before.

_Butthen why did you help us?_I had asked her.

_Burning Fate was on a collision course with our planet long beforeyours. You only came along for the ride._


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Love, the final frontier… **

"Am I freaking out?" I asked Johnna.

"…Just a little." She replied after a second.

When I started hyperventilating, she backtracked.

"Whoa, it's okay, I mean people get nervous before they get married. It's fine."

"But what if it isn't fine? What I totally miss my cue, or like I trip or something or…"

Johnna shushed me, listening to music. "Gotta go. See ya out there." She walked away surprisingly fast in high heels, meeting with Uhura and Shyana briefly before stepping out of view.

"You ready?" McCoy asked.

"Yeah…no…I feel like I'm gonna throw up."

"Just nerves." He told me. "All right let's go."

McCoy walked me to the alter, since my father wasn't there. I thought that the whole wedding thing was probably bringing back some memories from his marriage to Jocelyn but he never said a word about it.

I'll always remember the way Pavel looked that day, smiling so brightly it light up the entire room.

I didn't even listen to half the words Kirk said, as I was to busy staring into Pavel's pretty brown eyes, but when he came to, "Until death do you part," I started tearing up, and said in a rasping voice, "I do."

I could almost here Becky snickering behind me. The little bugger had managed to get out of wearing a dress, but right now I didn't care. The song she played on her cello was Pachabel's Canon, and I could tell without looking at her that she was sick of it.

"I do," Chekov said his accent thick with emotion. Russian were extremely emotional people so I wasn't surprised to see that he was on the brink of tears too.

"Then you may kiss the bride." Kirk said.

We kissed for a long five seconds, with Becky laughing her but off a few feet behind me. Sulu hooted, making us both blush bright pink.

Pavel took my hand, leading the way back down the aisle.

We had the reception party down in the banquet hall.

The first dance was of course the first thing we did. It was to a beautiful piano piece called, _Where are you now, _written by George Winston_._

"You look beautiful." He said quietly, while we slowly danced. I lifted my head off his shoulder to say, "And you look handsome." He smiled again, that lopsided grin that was always my favorite.

"I was wondering…" I started, he looked at me his eyes still bright.

"Yes?" He said, seeming amused.

"Do you want kids?" I managed to say. He didn't lose stride with the song. "It depends." He said thoughtfully, twirling me around. "Coming from Russia, ve find children to be a gift. But it's your decision."

"You totally avoided the question." I said in mock exasperation.

"Yes, then. I do vant children. But I vould prefer to vait until ve have finished our five years aboard zhe _Enterprise._" He said truthfully. He locked eyes with me, trying to decipher my reaction.

"Okay." I said simply as the final chords from the song evaporated. I didn't mind waiting. In fact I wasn't even sure I wanted kids.

Everyone clapped loudly and piled in all around us to give their congratulations.

I smiled widely as Becky came over, looked at us both and said through laughter, "You guys are smiling like a guy who sees a double rainbow after to much LDS."

"You mean LSD?" I asked. After so many hours of watching House, I had things like this memorized.

"Whatever," She said, and ran off to continue her cello playing.

For a second I felt really faint, and I almost panicked, thinking I might be having another one of those attacks.

Pavel squeezed my hand and pulled my face closer to his, to look me over.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," I said softly, "I'm just kind of woozy. Can we sit down for a while?"

"Of course." He answered quickly. After we took a seat, he looked around the crowd casually, probably trying to find McCoy.

"Your ribs bothering you?" He asked.

"No. I'm a little hot is all."

Pavel chuckled tensly. "That's for sure."

I finally felt ready to return to the fun after about ten minutes, no longer wishing to stay still while the party continued without us.

At one point, someone we hadn't really known came up to us both, and started laughing. Becky, who was standing right next to me, took one look at the guy and started laughing too. And the guy didn't have a normal laugh either. It was a crazy laugh. *

Kirk stared off into the distance, swirling Saurian Brandy in his glass. McCoy came over and stood next to him, silent.

"Do you think—." Kirk started then looked at McCoy to make sure he was listening and continued, "—that those two will be happy forever."

"I'm not really a good person to ask that question, Jim" But McCoy sighed answering anyway.

"I think they will be, Jim. The way he looks at her." McCoy shook his head, unable to find words. "Their both so young, but I don't doubt they love each other. I don't believe either of them would even think about cheating on each other. _Hell_, I bet you my salary they won't even notice half the people around them."

"That's just it Bones. I envy them."

"So do I. I miss having a family, but I'm an old man now. Not much I can do anymore when it comes to love."

"I know. And I'm not that far off." Kirk sighed a threw back the last of his brandy. "You know why I'm always getting into relationships with the women on the ship?"

"No, but I can guess."

"Because, I'm lonely. It seems that as Captain, it's impossible to find someone who wants me and not just Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship _Enterprise."_

"I know," McCoy said carefully, "but unless you actually leave Starfleet, change your name, and grow a beard to hide behind, it's not gonna be easy."

Kirk turned sharply to look at the good doctor. "Are you saying I have no chance at love?"

"No. But it's not gonna be as easy as you think to find someone you'll really click with." McCoy gazed at the happy couple. "They were lucky enough to be assigned to the same ship, have the same interests and goals. If things had been different it's possible they would've never met."

McCoy sighed again and shook his head. "Sometimes love is a gamblin' game. Never who's gonna hit the jackpot." He added quietly to himself, "And you never know who's gonna lose it all in the next round of poker."

Once the guy had left, still laughing like a hyena, Becky confronted me saying, "It's about time. I thought he would _never _propose," She dodged a angry poke and said, "Anyway, have fun loverboy." She said directed at Pavel, whom looked mildly interested. Becky morphed in with the crowd, working her way back to the other people playing instruments. Becca was there, switching between piano and viola along with Kirk who was no doubt trying his charm out on her.

"She hasn't called me zhat for vhile." He said thoughtfully.

"Becky's called you 'loverboy' before?" I asked. That was funny. I called him that in my mind.

"Da. As a joke. Every time you veren't around she asked if 'poor loverboy missed his Jenny'."

"Did you?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Of course! Vhat a silly qvestion!" I smiled at him.

We did so many things that day. We played games, we danced, we learned new things about new people. We made new friends, made happy memories. It was one of the greatest ever days in my life, and I'm sorry to say that it had to end sometime.

At one point Pavel frowned, making me worry.

"What's wrong?" I asked him. He said nothing, only pulled band out of my hair, releasing the short braid.

Now he said, " In Russia, only vomen who are not married braid their hair."

I smiled. "Whatever you say _husband._"

"Only zhe best for my beautiful bride."

I smiled even wider, and lay my head on his shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you too." He said softly. We danced together in the middle off the night, surrounded by friends and new found family, content with our lives as husband in wife.

"You know what though?" I told Pavel

"I never found out The Romulan Secret." I said thoughtfully. "But I don't really think I need to know." Pavel smiled, and we continued on dancing, long after there wasn't any music playing.

_Love, the final Frontier. These are the voyages of Jenny Hoffmann and Pavel Andreievich, their life long mission, to love each other utterly and completely. To boldly go where they can never go in a starship._

_The End _


End file.
